Cancer incidence in the population of Nagasaki City 30 years after atomic bombing.

Abstract

In order to attest the evolutionary hypothesis of non-epithelial-epithelial tumor shift (Okuyama and Mishina 1986), the published cancer incidence data for the population of Nagasaki City during the period of 1973-1977 was studied along with appropriate control populations of Fukuoka City, and Miyagi and Osaka prefectures. Significant increments of non-epithelial tumors including leukemias, and epithelial tumors such as cervical cancers and choriocarcinomas were observed. An inference was made to the post-atomic bomb radiation carcinogenesis that different organ systems responded to that irradiation with different oncogenic patterns: Neoplasms of the pre-vertebral organs (non-epithelial organ systems) were the first to react and tapered long (curve type I); Tumors of the vertebral but pre-mammalian (those of the digestive tract, respiratory and thyroid) could have formed two separate peaks, one for the early and high dosage and the other for the late and low dosage (II); With breast cancer or the mammalian symbol tumor, there was a single peak reflecting the cohort of reproductives (III). The evolutionary and phylogenetic progression could have taken place from I through III. Thus, cancer incidence analysis may be helpful in deciphering the atomic bomb radiation carcinogenesis.