A Clinical and Chromosomal Study on Those Exposed to the Atomic Bomb and their Offspring

Presented in this paper is the data from clinical laboratory examination of 50 Korean atomic-bomb survivors (Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, 1945). Of them, 15 survivors were karyotyped from their lymphocyte culture for both “stable” and “unstable” types of chromosomal aberrations. Eight of their offspring were also tested for the chromosomal changes and SCE as well. 1. All survivors were found to have suffered from various diseases, particularly from respiratory diseases. Two had malignancies, viz., one case having squamous cell carcinoma of uterine cervix and another, adenocarcinoma of stomach. 2. Serum total protein and serum albumin levels were found to have decreased in 18% and 27% of the survivors, respectively. Alkaline phosphatase, SGOT, IgG and IgM increased in 22%, 6.3%, 36.7% and 13.6% of the survivors, respectively. IgA was within normal limit in all cases. 3. Stable type of chromosomal aberrations was discovered in none of the survivors and the offspring examined. However, approximtely 50% of the survivors showed a significantly higher incidence of chromatid breakage than normal controls. 4. None of the offspring showed the chromatid breakage, but 75% of them showed significantly higher rate of SCE when compared to controls.