抄録
The elevated risk of leukemia that appeared a few years later has been considered declined to background level by early 1960. However, recent studies in either Hiroshima or Nagasaki suggest that myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), so called preleukemic states, appear to increase in incidence among proximally exposed population. If this is true, leukemia-related neoplasia seems to become evident along with aging of the Atomic Bomb survivors. This might be compatible with the trend for persistence of elevated risks for solid neoplasia along with aging. Thus it is extremely important to establish dose response relationship for MDS to prove persistence or re-emergence of myeloid neoplasia along with aging.
Multiple myeloma (MM) is a major lymphoid neoplasia that was once considered induced by the atomic bomb radiation. However, summary analysis by RERF in late 1980ies disclosed negative result. Since MM is a rather indolent neoplasia that is not easy to detect among the survivor, we are now conducting in Nagasaki a large scale detection program for Monoclonal Gammopathy of Unknown Significance (MGUS), so called pre-MM state, and progression to full MM. Recent preliminary analysis suggests that, similar to MDS, risk for MGUS is also elevated among proximally exposed survivors. It is still early to calculate progression rate to full MM according to distance.
In this paper I would like to summarize epidemiological studies on Blood Cell Neoplasia among survivors during the past 60 years and try to provide perspectives for future studies to know why single high dose total body irradiation by the Atomic Bombs continue to induce excessive neoplasia over whole lives of survivors. The answer, if provided in future, is extremely important to understand human cancer induction by radiation.
