Iarc Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans
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WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION INTERNATIONAL AGENCY FOR RESEARCH ON CANCER IARC MONOGRAPHS ON THE EVALUATION OF CARCINOGENIC RISKS TO HUMANS VOLUME 78 IONIZING RADIATION, PART 2: SOME INTERNALLY DEPOSITED RADIONUCLIDES 2001 IARCPress LYON FRANCE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION INTERNATIONAL AGENCY FOR RESEARCH ON CANCER IARC MONOGRAPHS ON THE EVALUATION OF CARCINOGENIC RISKS TO HUMANS Ionizing Radiation, Part 2: Some Internally Deposited Radionuclides VOLUME 78 This publication represents the views and expert opinions of an IARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, which met in Lyon, 14–21 June 2000 2001 IARC MONOGRAPHS In 1969, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) initiated a programme on the evaluation of the carcinogenic risk of chemicals to humans involving the production of critically evaluated monographs on individual chemicals. The programme was subsequently expanded to include evaluations of carcinogenic risks associated with exposures to complex mixtures, life-style factors and biological and physical agents, as well as those in specific occupations. The objective of the programme is to elaborate and publish in the form of monographs critical reviews of data on carcinogenicity for agents to which humans are known to be exposed and on specific exposure situations; to evaluate these data in terms of human risk with the help of international working groups of experts in chemical carcinogenesis and related fields; and to indicate where additional research efforts are needed. The lists of IARC evaluations are regularly updated and are available on Internet: http://monographs.iarc.fr/ This project was supported by Cooperative Agreement 5 UO1 CA33193 awarded by the United States National Cancer Institute, Department of Health and Human Services. Addi- tional support has been provided since 1986 by the European Commission, since 1993 by the United States National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and since 1995 by the United States Environmental Protection Agency through Cooperative Agreement Assistance CR 824264. ©International Agency for Research on Cancer, 2001 Distributed by IARCPress (Fax: +33 4 72 73 83 02; E-mail: [email protected]) and by the World Health Organization Distribution and Sales, CH-1211 Geneva 27 (Fax: +41 22 791 4857; E-mail: publications@)who.int) Publications of the World Health Organization enjoy copyright protection in accordance with the provisions of Protocol 2 of the Universal Copyright Convention. All rights reserved. Application for rights of reproduction or translation, in part or in toto, should be made to the International Agency for Research on Cancer. IARC Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Ionizing radiation, Part 2, Some internally deposited radionuclides / IARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans (2001 : Lyon, France) (IARC monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans ; 78) 1. Carcinogens – congresses 2. Neoplasms, radiation-induced, part 2 – congresses 3. Radioisotopes – congresses I. IARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans II. Series ISBN 92 832 1278 9 (NLM Classification: W1) ISSN 1017-1606 PRINTED IN FRANCE CONTENTS NOTE TO THE READER............................................................................................1 LIST OF PARTICIPANTS............................................................................................3 PREAMBLE ................................................................................................................7 Background..............................................................................................................7 Objective and Scope ................................................................................................7 Selection of Topics for Monographs ......................................................................8 Data for Monographs ..............................................................................................9 The Working Group ................................................................................................9 Working Procedures ................................................................................................9 Exposure Data........................................................................................................10 Studies of Cancer in Humans ................................................................................12 Studies of Cancer in Experimental Animals..........................................................15 Other Data Relevant to an Evaluation of Carcinogenicity and its Mechanisms ..........................................................................................18 Summary of Data Reported ..................................................................................20 Evaluation ..............................................................................................................21 References..............................................................................................................25 GENERAL REMARKS..............................................................................................31 Internal irradiation ................................................................................................31 General aspects ................................................................................................31 Nomenclature ..................................................................................................34 Radiation dose............................................................................................34 Radiation dose and exposure to radon and its decay products: working-level month............................................................................35 Dose and dose limits of radiation from internalized radionuclides ..........37 Routes of internal exposure to ionizing radiation ..........................................37 Inhalation ..................................................................................................39 Ingestion ....................................................................................................42 Injection and entry through wounds or intact skin....................................42 Transport and deposition ................................................................................43 Elimination ......................................................................................................43 Doses from internal irradiation........................................................................44 –iii– iv IARC MONOGRAPHS VOLUME 78 Modes of decay of radionuclides ..........................................................................44 Decay by emission of α-particles....................................................................46 Decay by emission of β-particles ....................................................................47 β−-Particles (electron)................................................................................47 β+-Particles (positron)................................................................................48 Electron capture ........................................................................................48 Isomeric decay processes ................................................................................49 Production of γ-rays ..................................................................................49 Internal conversion ....................................................................................49 Auger electrons and characteristic X-rays ......................................................50 Exposure to internal sources of radiation..............................................................51 Radionuclides considered in this monograph..................................................51 Categorization of radionuclides ................................................................51 Types of radiation produced during decay of ‘mixed’ emitters ................57 Physical aspects of exposure: Linear energy transfer ....................................57 γ-Rays ........................................................................................................62 α-Particles ..................................................................................................62 β-Particles ..................................................................................................62 Auger electrons ..........................................................................................62 Biological aspects of exposure ........................................................................63 Non-uniform distribution of radionuclides in organs and tissues ............63 Non-uniform deposition of radionuclides at the cellular and subcellular level ............................................................................66 Factors that may modify radionuclide metabolism and toxicity ..............67 Target tissues....................................................................................................68 Liver ..........................................................................................................68 Lung ..........................................................................................................68 Bone ..........................................................................................................69 Thyroid gland ............................................................................................70