were in children exposed at less than 10 years of age, and two cases of
thyroid nodules were noted in adults in the more heavily exposed group.
One case with a nodule was noted in an adult woman in the smaller Rongelap
group (14 of 18 living) that had received less than half the exposure of the
other group.
surgery.
Five children and one adult
(the first six cases) have had
The nodules in the children were removed and proved to be benign
adenomatous nodules closely resembling goiter of iodine deficiency.
The one
adult case had a mixed papillary and follicular carcinoma with localized
metastasis.
An increase in thyroid nodule cases noted among the exposed
Rongelap people during the past six months may in part be related to incon-
sistent thyroid hormone therapy which had been instituted in September, 1965.
There was evidence that the hormone had helped in some cases--two hypothyroid
boys who had exhibited growth retardation showed considerable improvement and
spurt in growth following hormone treatment,
on the hormone treatment.
However,
In one case a nodule disappeared
in five other cases
(three teenage girls
and two adult women) there were either lack of reduction in nodule size,
increase in size,or appearance of new nodules,
be complying with the treatment schedule.
These cases were thought to
These five cases will be brought
to Brookhaven National Laboratory in May for further examinations and possible
Surgery.
Also noted were three new cases (teenage boys) with nodules.
However, they had not been on hormone therapy.
The latter cases will be
reevaluated following six months hormone therapy.
There were two older
Utirik people who had small nodules, probably not significant since there was
a low incidence in unexposed people greater than 50 years of age at both
Rongelap and Utirik (1.5%), but no nodules were noted in the younger age group
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