Congenital Malformations and Perinatal Deaths Among the Children of Atomic Bomb Survivors: A Reappraisal.

From 1948 to 1954, the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission conducted a study of pregnancy outcomes among births to atomic bomb survivors (Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan) who had received radiation doses ranging from 0 Gy to near-lethal levels. Past reports (1956, 1981, and 1990) on the cohort did not identify significant associations of radiation exposure with untoward pregnancy outcomes, such as major congenital malformations, stillbirths, or neonatal deaths, individually or in aggregate. We reexamined the risk of major congenital malformations and perinatal deaths in the children of atomic bomb survivors (n = 71,603) using fully reconstructed data to minimize the potential for bias, using refined estimates of the gonadal dose from Dosimetry System 2002 and refined analytical methods for characterizing dose-response relationships.

Dosimetric Impact of a New Computational Voxel Phantom Series for the Japanese Atomic Bomb Survivors: Methodological Improvements and Organ Dose Response Functions.

Owing to recent advances in computational dosimetry tools, an update is warranted for the dosimetry system for atomic bomb survivors that was established by the Joint U.S.Japan Working Group on the Reassessment of Atomic Bomb Dosimetry in 2002 (DS02).

Dosimetric Impact of a New Computational Voxel Phantom Series for the Japanese Atomic Bomb Survivors: Pregnant Females.

An important cohort of the atomic bomb survivors are women who were pregnant when exposed to the photon and neutron fields at both Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as well as their children who were exposed . Estimates of organ dose to the developing fetus allow for the development of dose-dependent and gestational age-dependent models of deterministic (e.g.

Dosimetric Impact of a New Computational Voxel Phantom Series for the Japanese Atomic Bomb Survivors: Children and Adults.

One of the largest sources of data on radiation exposure in humans is the study of the atomic bomb survivors at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan performed by the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF). As part of their retrospective dosimetry efforts for the atomic bomb survivors, RERF published two core systems: Dosimetry System 1986 (DS86) and Dosimetry System 2002 (DS02). Due to computing limitations at the time, only three stylized phantoms (an infant, child and adult) were used in DS86 and DS02 to represent the entire Japanese population.

Population Density in Hiroshima and Nagasaki Before the Bombings in 1945: Its Measurement and Impact on Radiation Risk Estimates in the Life Span Study of Atomic Bomb Survivors.

In the Life Span Study cohort of atomic bomb survivors, differences in urbanicity between high-dose and low-dose survivors could confound the association between radiation dose and adverse outcomes. We obtained data on the population distribution in Hiroshima and Nagasaki before the 1945 bombings and quantified the impact of adjustment for population density on radiation risk estimates for mortality (1950-2003) and incident solid cancer (1958-2009). Population density ranged from 4,671 to 14,378 people/km2 in the urban region of Hiroshima and 5,748 to 19,149 people/km2 in the urban region of Nagasaki.

The incidence of leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma among atomic bomb survivors: 1950-2001.

A marked increase in leukemia risks was the first and most striking late effect of radiation exposure seen among the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bomb survivors. This article presents analyses of radiation effects on leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma incidence in the Life Span Study cohort of atomic bomb survivors updated 14 years since the last comprehensive report on these malignancies. These analyses make use of tumor- and leukemia-registry based incidence data on 113,011 cohort members with 3.

Ionizing radiation exposure and the development of soft-tissue sarcomas in atomic-bomb survivors.

Background: Very high levels of ionizing radiation exposure have been associated with the development of soft-tissue sarcoma. The effects of lower levels of ionizing radiation on sarcoma development are unknown. This study addressed the role of low to moderately high levels of ionizing radiation exposure in the development of soft-tissue sarcoma.

Radiation dose and cataract surgery incidence in atomic bomb survivors, 1986-2005.

Purpose: To examine the incidence of clinically important cataracts in relation to lens radiation doses between 0 and approximately 3 Gy to address risks at relatively low brief doses.

Materials And Methods: Informed consent was obtained, and human subjects procedures were approved by the ethical committee at the Radiation Effects Research Foundation. Cataract surgery incidence was documented for 6066 atomic bomb survivors during 1986-2005.

Radiation and smoking effects on lung cancer incidence by histological types among atomic bomb survivors.

While the risk of lung cancer associated separately with smoking and radiation exposure has been widely reported, it is not clear how smoking and radiation together contribute to the risk of specific lung cancer histological types. With individual smoking histories and radiation dose estimates, we characterized the joint effects of radiation and smoking on type-specific lung cancer rates among the Life Span Study cohort of Japanese atomic bomb survivors. Among 105,404 cohort subjects followed between 1958 and 1999, 1,803 first primary lung cancer incident cases were diagnosed and classified by histological type.

Long-term trend of thyroid cancer risk among Japanese atomic-bomb survivors: 60 years after exposure.

Thyroid cancer risk following exposure to ionizing radiation in childhood and adolescence is a topic of public concern. To characterize the long-term temporal trend and age-at-exposure variation in the radiation-induced risk of thyroid cancer, we analyzed thyroid cancer incidence data for the period from 1958 through 2005 among 105,401 members of the Life Span Study cohort of Japanese atomic-bomb survivors. During the follow-up period, 371 thyroid cancer cases (excluding those with microcarcinoma with a diameter <10 mm) were identified as a first primary among the eligible subjects.

Protecting privacy of shared epidemiologic data without compromising analysis potential.

Objective: Ensuring privacy of research subjects when epidemiologic data are shared with outside collaborators involves masking (modifying) the data, but overmasking can compromise utility (analysis potential). Methods of statistical disclosure control for protecting privacy may be impractical for individual researchers involved in small-scale collaborations.

Methods: We investigated a simple approach based on measures of disclosure risk and analytical utility that are straightforward for epidemiologic researchers to derive.

Exposure to ionizing radiation and development of bone sarcoma: new insights based on atomic-bomb survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Background: Radiation-induced bone sarcoma has been associated with high doses of ionizing radiation from therapeutic or occupation-related exposures. However, the development of bone sarcoma following exposure to lower doses of ionizing radiation remains speculative.

Methods: A cohort analysis based on the Life Span Study (n = 120,321) was performed to assess the development of bone sarcoma in atomic-bomb survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki followed from 1958 to 2001.

Biomarkers of radiosensitivity in a-bomb survivors pregnant at the time of bombings in hiroshima and nagasaki.

Purpose. There is evidence in the literature of increased maternal radiosensitivity during pregnancy. Materials and Methods.

Radiation and smoking effects on lung cancer incidence among atomic bomb survivors.

While radiation increases the risk of lung cancer among members of the Life Span Study (LSS) cohort of atomic bomb survivors, there are still important questions about the nature of its interaction with smoking, the predominant cause of lung cancer. Among 105,404 LSS subjects, 1,803 primary lung cancer incident cases were identified for the period 1958-1999. Individual smoking history information and the latest radiation dose estimates were used to investigate the joint effects of radiation and smoking on lung cancer rates using Poisson grouped survival regression methods.

Papillary microcarcinoma of the thyroid among atomic bomb survivors: tumor characteristics and radiation risk.

Background: : Radiation exposure is an established cause of clinical thyroid cancer, but little is known about radiation effects on papillary microcarcinoma (PMC) of the thyroid, a relatively common subclinical thyroid malignancy. Because the incidence of these small thyroid cancers has been increasing, it is important to better understand them and their relation to radiation.

Methods: : PMCs were identified in a subset of 7659 members of the Life Span Study of atomic bomb survivors who had archived autopsy or surgical materials.

Cardiovascular disease risk among atomic bomb survivors exposed in utero, 1978-2003.

Given the well-documented association of in utero radiation exposure with childhood cancer and developmental impairments, the possibility of effects on adult onset diseases is an important issue. The objectives of the present study were to examine the effects of atomic bomb radiation dose on the incidence of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and cardiovascular disease (myocardial infarction and stroke) among survivors exposed in utero and to compare their risk estimates with those of survivors exposed in childhood (<10 years old) at the time of the bombing. A total of 506 participants exposed in utero and 1,053 participants exposed in childhood were followed during 1978-2003 with biennial clinical examinations.

Solid cancer incidence in atomic bomb survivors exposed in utero or as young children.

Background: In utero exposure to radiation is known to increase risks of childhood cancers, and childhood exposure is associated with increased risks of adult-onset cancers. However, little is known about whether in utero exposure to radiation increases risks of adult-onset cancers.

Methods: Solid cancer incidence rates were examined among survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki who were in utero (n = 2452) or younger than 6 years (n = 15388) at the time of the bombings.

Dose estimation for atomic bomb survivor studies: its evolution and present status.

In the decade after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, several large cohorts of survivors were organized for studies of radiation health effects. The U.S.

Effect of recent changes in atomic bomb survivor dosimetry on cancer mortality risk estimates.

The Radiation Effects Research Foundation has recently implemented a new dosimetry system, DS02, to replace the previous system, DS86. This paper assesses the effect of the change on risk estimates for radiation-related solid cancer and leukemia mortality. The changes in dose estimates were smaller than many had anticipated, with the primary systematic change being an increase of about 10% in gamma-ray estimates for both cities.

A genome scanning approach to assess the genetic effects of radiation in mice and humans.

We used Restriction Landmark Genome Scanning (RLGS) to assess, on a genome-wide basis, the mutation induction rate in mouse germ cells after radiation exposure. Analyses of 1,115 autosomal NotI DNA fragments per mouse for reduced spot intensity, indicative of loss of one copy, in 506 progeny derived from X-irradiated spermatogonia (190, 237 and 79 mice in 0-, 3-, and 5-Gy groups, respectively), permitted us to identify 16 mutations affecting 23 fragments in 20 mice. The 16 mutations were composed of eight small changes (1-9 bp) at microsatellite sequences, five large deletions (more than 25 kb), and three insertions of SINE B2 or LINE1 transposable elements.

Effect of radiation dose on the height of atomic bomb survivors: a longitudinal study.

We conducted a longitudinal analysis of height after age 20 for atomic bomb survivors in the Adult Health Study (AHS) cohort. The measurements we used were made from July 1958 to June 1998 (AHS examination cycles 1-20). We analyzed only the subjects with known atomic bomb radiation doses, excluding those who were not in the city at the time of bombing (ATB) and those exposed in utero.