Topic A-10 Q. A. Clear up the record about health effects on the Marshallese as regards cuch injuries as thyroid, etc. A report entitled "A Twenty-Year Review of Medical Findings tn a Marshallese Population Accidentally Exposed to Radio- active Fallout" by R. A. Conard, et aT (BNL-50424) has been previously provided to the Subcommittee staff.~ The report describes the medical activities and the findings in the study population for the period 1954-1974. As of this date, _ a total of four cases of thyroid cancer among Rongelapese and three cases among Utirikese have been.observed in a population of 243 exposed individuals. All cancers have occurred in females. One inhabitant of the Marshall Island exposed to fallout died from a myeloid leukemia. Since completion of that report no additional cases of leukemia were found. Quite clearly the occurrence of one case might be due to chance rather than irradiation. No excess incidence of other forms of cancer has been observed. Since 1974, a resident DOE physician visits Rongelap and Utirik — approximately every three months. An exception to this was Lemem—tieee ! sgeettincenten ammenities during 1977 when the people of Utirik indicated the DOE physician was not welcome. Recently, however, they invited the medical team to resume their surveillance. Once a year, in addition to these quarterly visits, a larger medical team consisting of various specialists (endocrinologist, gynecologist, hematologist, pediatrician, etc.) goes to these islands to do physical exams of exposed and unexposed populations on Rongelap and Utirik. The observation of three cases of thyroid cancer among the Utirikese cannot be explained. Compared to the Rongelapese, the estimated exposure of the people of Utirik was ten times as low. Also, the incidence of benign nodules in the people of Utirik is - very low. As expected, the incidence of benign nodules in the Rongelap is high. Interpretation of these results 1s complicated by the fact that the natural incidence of these abnormalities in the he Marshal] i unknown k . Marshallese is DOE ARCHIVES An effort wil] be made in 1978 to reassess dose estimates for the Utirikese. 11%