MAY 12 1966 -2- Mr. John T. Conway The only instance of cancer of the thyroid was seen in a Rongelap woman who was approximately 30 years of age at the time of exposure. The nodular condition seen in the young people is not a cancerous process, although cancers of the thyroid often grow in nodular fashion, In August 1965 nearly all these people were placed on tetraiodothyronine, a synthetic thyroid hormone, on the basis that such therapy would modify the incidence and/or course of the nodular process, It appears to have been partially effective but it is still too soon to be definite. Forty children of the same age grouping who were on Utirik Island and received 14 R whole body plus proportionately smaller thyroid exposures were also examined, disease, They showed no signs of thyroid nodules or thyroid In addition, 194 unexposed Marshallese now living on these islands were examined; three instances of nodules were found, all among people more than 47 years of age. Five of the Marshallese with nodular thyroids will be brought to the Brookhaven National Laboratory during May 1966 for further diagnostic study and possible surgery. One is a 46-year-old woman; the others are girls 13, 13, 13 and 20 years old now. They will be accompanied by the Rongelap school teacher who will act as interpreter. The treatment and travel of these six Marshallese have been developed with cooperation of the Honorable Wilfred Goding, High Commissioner, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. You will be kept informed of the progress of these studies. An advanced copy of the public announcement on this subject prepared by the Brookhaven ; National Laboratory is enclosed, Sincerely yours, DOE ARCH ivr (Bigned) G. Ge Bagiish S. G. English © Assistant General Manager for Research and Development Enclosure: " Five Marshall Islanders to be Examined at Brookhaven Medical Center," announcement by Brookhaven National Laboratory 2/