Herbert M. Parker Foundation Lecture – “Irradiated: How does the body respond to low doses?”

Lecture from Dr. Antone L. Brooks of the Herbert M. Parker Foundation

Irradiated: How does the body respond to low doses?

The major source of information for estimating radiation risks are the human A-bomb data.  These data provide a large data base on the cancer frequency following a single radiation exposure delivered in less than one second and resulted in a sound estimate of cancer risk. To estimate risk in the low dose region a linear extrapolation from these risk numbers is use.  Since most environmental radiation exposures are to lower doses which are delivered over a long time period the use of this model has been questioned.  To provide data that will help address this question an extensive research program was initiated by the US Department of Energy.  This DOE Low Dose Radiation Research Program to evaluate the response in the low dose region used the best available molecular and cellular responses combined with new technology.   This presentation will provide an overview of the data derived from this program and discuss their implications on risk assessment.