Host: The Japan Radiation Research Society, Chairman of the 52nd Annual Meeting, Toshiteru Okubo (Radiation Effects Research Foundation)
Despite expectations, no evidence of germ cell mutation, seen as genetic disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes (APO), has been documented in children of survivors from atomic bombs in Japan nor in offspring of survivors of childhood and adolescent cancer. Continuing basic research and animal model assesses the risk of genetic disease in 23,889 children born to 14,519 survivors of cancer diagnosed up to the age of 35 years in Denmark and Finland through population-based record linkage. Comparison children include those born prior to cancer diagnosis (n=15,740) and 98,465 children of 45,037 siblings of cancer survivors. Genetic disease and APOs are being evaluated further with dose-response analyses over categories of radiation dose and administered chemotherapy. Together with the two US studies, these findings in population-based studies in two countries are reassuring that the children of cancer survivors are not at high risk of genetic disease apart from the known genetics or familial predispositions.
