et
eae
+
the vest majerity of case. Such changes have
been generally cbuerved prior to the develop-
at about the name time as noted in the Japanese
(d) Stace low on-
of regrowth (6 to 5 weeks) noted in the Japa-
cau none of | 140 individuals expused to jow
irradiated skin of *he Marshallese, there were
developed epidermoid carcinomas 5 to 23 yeare
‘an observed to be of normal teature and abundance at 6 months. Increased graying has been
merhed histolagical damage 4 months after ex-
we
posure implies geod repair.
ergy rediation was chiefly reaponsible for the
veltage X-ray for dermatological conditions
after treatment (27). (e) Furthermore epitheliomata rarely develop after a single dose
of radiation to the skin (12).
(f) Lastly the
incidence of skin cancer in Negroes is one-sixth
amp
The regrowth of hair, beginning shew 9
weeks after exposure in the Marshallesr, was
(c} The lack of any
ment of radiation cancer.
to one-ninth the incidence in (Caucasians (28)
Haherman (11), and slightly later than the time
nese bomb casuaitien
In contrast to the
ho pigment aberrations in the new hair, which
reported in animals (33-36) but has not been
seen in human beings, Neither was there any
appearance of dark hair in aged individuals
whoalready had gray hair as has heen reported
continued to show pigment aberrations and
slight atrophy at 1 year, and one severe ear
in human beings (42, 37, and 38). In the Japanese bomb casualties (30) and the Japanese
fishermen (11) the new hair was also normal in
color, texture, and abundance.
The nature of the bluish-brown transverse
at this time.
the nails is not known.
in the United States.
Other factors make the outlook less favorable: (a) Deeper lesions of the feet and neck
2 ee
2
SKIN LESIONS AND EPILATION
lesion showed marked atrophy and scarring
(b) It is not known whether or
not radiation of the epidermis per «e can predis-
pose to malignant change. Since the epidermis
was heavily irradiated in these cases, compared
to the dermis, this becomes an important con-
sideration.
(c)
Since
many
children
and
young adults were involved, the life expectancy
of a large number of the individuals will exceed
the long induction period for the development
of radiation cancer observed in radiolojrists.
(Q) Exposure to tropical sunlight, potentially
carcinogenic in itself, may increase the probability of neoplastic change. (e) The influence
of the sublethal whole-body exposure received
hy these people on induction of skin cancer is
not known.
The occurrence of epilation 2 to 3 weeks after
exposure corresponds roughly to the time of
appearance of epilation in the Japanese exposed
to gamma radiation at Hiroshima and Nagasaki
(29, 40). Since the greater amount of epilation occurred over a period of a week to 10 days
there was apparently no phasic response dependent on the growth c¢cle of the follicles (in-
active, or telogen and active, or anagen follicles)
as has been reported (31, 32).
bands of pigmentation that developed beneath
Since it occurred in
the majority of the more heavily exposed Mar-
shallese groups and in all 5 of the American
Negroes, but none of the white Americans, it
appeared to be 4 reaponse peculiar to dark-
skinned races, The phenomenon was apparently produced by gammaradiation with a dos
age as low as 75 r since this was the estimated
dove that the American Negroes recetved in the
absence of significant contamination of the
hands. Sutton (39) has reported a case of simi-
lar fingernail pigmentation which developed in
a negress, following 150 r of soft X-irradiation
to the handa
3.8
Summary
Fottowine THE Detonation of a thermonuclear
device significant amounts of visible radioactive
material were deposited on inhabited atolls pro-
ducing skin lesions, whole-body radiation in-
jury and some internal deposition of radionu-
clides, The skin lesions in the more heavily
contaminated groups were characterized by
itching and burning of the skin for 24-48 hours.
E-pilation and skin Jexions were observed, be-