Tab N

Background Materials for Committee
Briefing by Duncan Thomas: An
Epidemiologic Perspective on Low-Dose
Radiation Risks

Readings from:

"Health Effects of Exposure to Low Levels of Ionizing Radiation,
BEIR V." Committee on the Biological Effects of Ionizing
Radiations, Board on Radiation Effects Research, Commission on
Life Sciences, National Research Council. Washington, D.C.:
National Academy Press, 1990.

* Excerpt One -
Chapter One - "Background Information and Scientific Principles,"
pp. 44-51.

* Excerpt Two -
Chapter Four - "Risk of Cancer - All Sites," pp. 167-176.

* Excerpt Three -
Chapter Seven - "Low Dose Epidemiological Studies," pp. 371-389.

HEALTH EFFECTS OF
EXPOSURE TO
LOW LEVELS OF
IONIZING
RADIATION

BEIR V

Committee on the Biological Effects
of Ionizing Radiations
Board on Radiation Effects Research
Commission on Life Sciences
National Research Council

NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS
Washington, D.C. 1990

CONTENTS

Genetics of Cancer, 145
Effects of Age, Sex, Smoking, and Other Susceptibility
Factors, 152

4 Risk of Cancer - All Sites 161
Introduction, 161
Model Fitting, 163
Risk Assessment, 171
Uncertainty in Point Estimates of Lifetime Risk, 176
ANNEX 4A Summary of Major Epidemiologic Studies
Used in BEIR V 182
ANNEX 4B Changes in the Estimated Dose for
A-Bomb Survivors 190
ANNEX 4C AMFIT 196
ANNEX 4D The Committee's Analysis of A-Bomb
Survivor Data 198
ANNEX 4E Modeling Breast Cancer 205
ANNEX 4F Uncertainty, Probability of Causation,
and Diagnostics 217
ANNEX 4G The BEIR IV Committee's Model and
Risk Estimates for Lung Cancer Due to Radon Progeny 239

5 Radiogenic Cancer at Specific Sites 242
Leukemia, 242
Breast, 253
Lung, 267
Stomach, 278
Thyroid, 281
Esophagus, 298
Small Intestine, 300
Colon and Rectum, 301
Liver, 303
Skeleton, 306
Brain and Nervous System, 310
Ovary, 313
Uterus, 314
Testis, 315
Prostate, 316
Urinary Tract, 318
Parathyroid Glands, 321
Nasal Cavity and Sinuses, 324
Skin, 325
Lymphoma and Multiple Myeloma, 327
Pharynx, Hypopharynx, and Larynx, 330
Salivary Glands, 331
Pancreas, 333

6 Other Somatic and Fetal Effects 352
Cancer in Childhood Following Exposure In Utero, 352
Effects on Growth and Development, 354
Cataract of the Eye Lens, 363
Life Shortening, 363
Fertility and Sterility, 364

7 Low Dose Epidemiologic Studies 371
Introduction, 371
Diagnostic Radiography: Adult-Onset Myeloid Leukemia, 371
Fallout from Nuclear Weapons Testing, 373
Cancer Among Individuals Near Nuclear Installations, 377
Epidemiologic Studies of Workers Exposed to Low Dose,
Low-LET Radiation, 379
High Natural Background Radiation, 383

Glossary 391

Index 401