a BNL BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY AU ASSOCIATED UNIVERSITIES, INC.. UPTON, L.L. N.Y. 11973 pg? MEDICAL DEPARTMENT TELEPHONE: (516) 345-22” November 25, 1975 40207 2k Mr. Fred M. Zeder Director of Territorial Affairs U.S. Department of Interior Washington, D.C. 20240 Dear “Ar. “eder, I have been in correspondence with your office and the Congress of Micronesia concerning thyroid eases in the Rongelap and Utirik populations, accidentally exposed to fullout radiation in 1954, which you might wish to consider for compensation in the bill coming vp before our Congress. It was pointed out that though there has . been correlation of radiation causation of thyroid tumors inthe i \ \ \ | populations exemined. The radiation causation in one case of cancer of the thyroid in a Utirik woman was more questionable. Last month another tumor (possibly malignant) was surgically removed from a Utirik woman. Nine outstanding thyroid pathologists were divided on the diagnosis - 2 favoring benign, 3 cancer, and 4 calling it a premalignant tumor (cancer tn situ). We have decided to call the tumor cancer for statistical purposes, The statisticians advise ; me that it is extremely unlikely that two cases of thyroid cancer would occur by chance in the exposed Utirik population. Therefore you may wish to reexamine the issue of compensation based on this new information, a ae | | / | tion was about the same (or slightly less) thaa in the unexposed _ - Rongelap population, such was not considered likely in the Utirik population since the incidence of such tumors in the latter popula The tnéidence of benign tumors of the thyroid in the Utirik population is less than found in the unexposed Rongelap population examined. In addition to the 2 cases of thyroid cancer in this group, there have been 4 benign tumocs, 3 of which were surgically removed, In the unexposed Rcngelap group there have been 9 benign tumors of the thyroid, 3 of which were surgically removed (see attached tables). REPOSITORY DOE ~FORK ESTA COLLECTION - WW PrZk Ex FIles - BOX Ne. 213 5S 6 MARSiMFUESE Scr DS FoLoer 8 & Nov 1976 -0C 1 27 (977 1912263 INFORMATION OPERATOR (516) 345-2123