Evaluation and re-evaluation of genetic radiation hazards in man. III. Other relevant data and risk assessment

Abstract

Some of the advances in mammalian radiation genetics, human genetics and cytogenetics that were made during the last 2-3 years and that have either a direct bearing on, or that may be potentially useful in, the evaluation of genetic radiation hazards in man have been examined. Among these are (1) the new data on the incidence of genetic diseases in man; (2) the latest results of the study of mortality rates among children born to survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; (3) new data on the radiation-induction of reciprocal translocations in human spermatogonia; (4) new results from radiation studies with mice on skeletal mutations, autosomal recessive lethals, sex-chromosome losses, translocation induction and recovery etc., and (5) a re-analysis of the earlier data on dose-rate effects for the induction of specific locus mutations in mouse spermatogonia. Using the pertinent new information as a basis, quantitative estimates are presented employing both a direct method of expressing risks in terms of effects per unit dose of irradiation and the indirect doubling-dose method of expressing these as increments over the load of genetic disorders occurring spontaneously in man.