Table 3.
Expected percent of persons with thyroid nodules in comparison
populations based on estimated doses.
% Nodules (c.uses/no.)
Group
Chiléren?
Est. dose
(rem)
Rongelap
2.25
Utirik
8.0
Adult 52
Ronge lap
Utirik
4.5
16.0
Rong.
risk
(zotal)!
Q.1%
X-ray risk
(benign)?
9.07%
(0.2/553)
0.6%
(0.4/557)
0.2%
(2.7/435)
(1.1/435)
0.2%
(0.01/115)
0.5%
(0.2/38)
-
:
.
*% Carcinoma (cases/no.)
Rong. risk
(total)!
<0.01%
(0.04/557)
9.03
(0.15/435)
X-ray risk
(benign)?
0.C2
(0.1/557)
0.01
(0.4/435)
0.06
(0.07/115)
0.22
(0.08/38)
lusing risk data for exposed Rongelap and Ailingnae people (25 years), cases
per million per rad per year:
children (exposed at age <10), total 31, cancer 1.7; adults (exposed at age 710), total 14.6, cancer 5.6.
Using Maxon's (163) estimates of absolute risk (cases per million per rad per
year), 12.3 for benign nedules and 4.2 for cancer, based on combined data of
Coleman et al. (233), Hemplemann (162), Modan (166), and Albert (290) on chil-
dren treated with x-irradiation. Recently Maxon, on the basis of later data,
has revised his risk estimate for thyroid cancer downward to 1.5 eases/10°
persons/rad/yr (164).
Use of this value would lower the expected risk in the
populations listed in this table. Also, preliminary results cf reassessment
of thyroid doses indicate a possible increase in estimated dose which couid
lower the RongeJap risk factors.
3children: age <10 in 1954; adults: age >10 in 1954. Children were considered to have lived 11 yr on Rongelap or 13 yr on Utirik snd to have received
half the total dose. Adults were considered co have lived 22 yr on Ronge.sap
and 25 yr on Utirik, and their total estimated doses are listed.
C.
Comparison of Thyroid Findings in Marshallese Comparison Populations With
Those in Other Unexposed Populations
A number of statistical reports have been published on thyroid neoplasia
in populations not exposed to radiation (see Fig. 1). These statistics show
considerable variation, and some pcpulztions appear to be more prone to development of thyroid cancer.
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