adiation ag
such as
ently,
the ¥
are enributing
during their employment.
aberrations cannot continue to increase with the
hensive interpretation of these data will be the
accumulated dose because of the finite life span of
subject of a future report.
lymphocyte.
For long periods
of
‘eived by
of
volving
E.
itudies have™
A more compre-
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
aberrations.
This work was done with the support of the
Cytology of Exfoliated Bronchial Cells
U.
Sputum cytology has been used by Saccomanno
ucocytes
as a possible indicator for detecting incipient or
to Thoro-
actual lung cancer in uranium miners exposed to
ugh
as medical ‘and laboratory findings.
chronic expo-
sure, one would expect a constant equilibrium level
ls have
during World War II and gives factual data on esti-
mated body and lung burdens of plutonium, as well
the
adiation-
However, one must use
caution when interpreting quantitatively results
obtained from chromosome analysis, as the number of
radon daughters and other stressing agents in ura-
Pb (about
nium mines.
ociated
experimentally in animals exposed to plutonium
Because lung cancer has been cbserved
S. Atomic Energy Commission, Division of Bio-
medical and Environmental Research, under Contract
AT-(30-1) 4284 to the School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, and under Contract
W-7405-ENG-36 to the University of Califomia, Los
Alamos Scientific Laboratory.
This report covers information and work that
er prod-
aerosols, we have added the cytological examination
has been carried out over a period of many years
and con-
of bronchial cells to our periodic studies of the
and has involved many persons who have contributed
tradiated.
UPPU Club members.
ftes of
In a few subjects, moderate to
severe dysplastic changes have been observed.
been
The
significance of these changes is not clear except
sed prior
and rame aber-
to the success of the project.
The special con-
tributors have all played a prominent part in data
collection or analysis in their particular special-
in one man who was a heavy cigarette smoker
ty.
(3 packages per day).
by E. Campbell, M. Milligan, and W. Moss at the
We are now in the process of
The analytical urinalysis procedures were done
developing standardized procedures for collecting
Occupational Health Laboratory, LASL.
and preparing sputum samples.
calculated the current body burden values by means
This presents a
J. Lawrence
mphopenia
Sizable problem, since our subjects live in differ-
of the PUQFUA program.
S, one
ent parts of the country often without easy access
were made by P. Lee, M.D., Los Alamos Medical
in lympho-
to large medical centers.
Center, and W. Christiansen, M.D., Department of
observa-—
[
Since exposure to tobacco smoke and other toxic
Roentgenographic studies
Radiology, University of Utah.
In vivo measure-
ibility
materials is known to alter the normal cytology of
Ments of plutonium within the lung were performed
iltures
bronchial cells, it is difficult to interpret the
by P. Dean at the Health Research Laboratory, LASL.
Pulmonary cytology studies were made by G. Sacco-
have been
observed effects.
dings in
have asked all of our subjects to give up smoking.
manno, M.D., Pathologist, St. Mary's Hospital,
2 pluto-
There is also a need to develop a standardized
Grand Junction, Colorado, and Michael Stewart, M.D.,
aver a 7-
nomenclature to be used in reading and reporting
Pathologist, Los Alamos Medical Center, Los Alamos,
2xXternal
sputum specimens.
New Mexico.
Primarily for this reason, we
At periodic intervals, we will
D. Petersen, Health Research Labor-
ric yield
send bottles containing fixative for collecting
atory, LASL, assisted in procuring the samples for
1ld be
Sputum samples to each subject, who will then return
pulmonary cytology.
e re-
the samples to us for analysis.
performed by D. Petersen at the Health Research
s
more than a moderate cellular atypia, he will be
Laboratory, LASL.
asked to submit samples more frequently.
Medical Group, LASL, directed the physical examina-
an-
found,
he perut
nosome
If anyone shows
We will
also obtain sputum samples for cytological examination from local nonexpesed personnel of the
same
age and smoking habits for purposes of
comparison,
idying
osed to
iation,
H. Whipple, M.D., Industrial
tion portion of the study, including clinical laboratory measurements.
J. Healy, LASL Health Divi-
Sion, gave constructive criticisms in his review
of the manuscript.
to the
‘posure
The chromosome studies were
VI.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
This report attempts to reconstruct the
expoSure conditions of Los Alamos pluto
nium workers
Many other persons too numerous to mention
have contributed importantly to the work.
A spe-
cial acknowledgment is extended to J. Langham for
photographic and autoradiographic work; H. Ide for
19