A 42-year-old man received radiation exposure at a nuclear power plant in Eastern Europe. He is now concerned about his future cancer risk. Which of the following statements is correct?
(A) malignancies occur within 10 years of
exposure
(B) leukemia has the shortest latency period
of all malignancies
© large exposure is required to develop
the most serious malignancies
(D) risk increases with advancing age at the
time of exposure
(E) therapeutic radiation therapy given
without chemotherapy does not increase
the risk of a second malignancy
solution:
(B) Radiation-induced malignancies tend to occur at the age where that particular malignancy
would normally occur. Therefore, the latency period can be 40 years or more. The latency period tends to be shortest (5–7 years) for leukemia. The risk for most malignancies is greatest with early-life radiation, and evidence suggests that therapeutic radiation confers excess risk as well. The amount of exposure
determines the likelihood of developing malignancy, not its severity