GENEVA (Reuters) - People in the area worst affected by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident two years ago have a higher risk of developing certain cancers, the World Health Organisation said on Thursday. ↑ WHOによると、福島の高汚染地域のガンになるリスクが高い
"A breakdown of data, based on age, gender and proximity to the plant, does show a higher cancer risk for those located in the most contaminated parts," Dr. Maria Neira, WHO director for public health and environment, said in a statement. ↑ 「年齢、性別、原発からの距離などを考慮すれば、高濃度汚染地帯のガン罹患率は高くなる」とWHO議長 のマリア・ネイラ博士は声明で述べた
In the most contaminated area, the WHO estimated that there was a 70 percent higher risk of females exposed as infants developing thyroid cancer over their lifetime. The thyroid is the most exposed organ as radioactive iodine concentrates there and children are deemed especially vulnerable. ↑ WHOの推計では、高濃度汚染地帯では、胎内で被曝した女性は生涯甲状腺ガンにかかるリスクは70%高くなる 子どもや病弱の人間は放射性要素にもっとも影響を受けやすい
The report concluded that for the general population inside Japan, the predicted health risks were low, but that one-third of emergency workers were estimated to have increased risk. ↑ WHOの報告によれば、日本の一般人口に対する健康被害は低いと予想されるが、 原発作業員の3分の1はガンにかかるリスクを増大させている。
But there was no discernible increase in health risks expected outside Japan, the WHO in a 200-page report, which was based on a comprehensive assessment by international experts. ↑ 日本以外の国では健康被害のリスクが増大することはないだろう、とWHO報告では評価されている
> The assessment contained a number of assumptions that are described in detail in the > dose assessment report. Although the assessment was intended to be realistic, given > the limited information available to the Dose Expert Panel during its period of work, > some conservative assumptions were adopted to avoid any underestimation of doses. For > example, it was assumed that people consumed only food produced in the area where > monitoring was implemented (e.g. those living in Fukushima ate only food produced in > Fukushima). Moreover, some assumptions regarding the implementation of protective > measures were conservative. For instance, it was assumed that relocation in the “deliberate > evacuation area” took place at 4 months although the inhabitants of this area > were subjected to relocation at different times earlier than this. It was also assumed that > all the food monitored was on the market although the data set included the results of > food samples that were collected for monitoring purposes and were not allowed on the > market. In fact, food restrictions were introduced in Japan with the aim of banning from > the market those food commodities produced in highly contaminated areas or exceeding > regulatory limits. As a consequence of these conservative assumptions, some dose > overestimation may have occurred.
The WHO report estimated that in the most contaminated area there was a 7 percent higher risk of leukemia in males exposed as infants, and a 6 percent higher risk of breast cancer in females exposed as infants. Overall, girls had a 4 percent increased risk of developing solid cancers.
"These percentages represent estimated relative increases over the baseline rates and are not absolute risks for developing such cancers," the WHO said in a statement.
In terms of specific cancers, for people in the most contaminated location, the estimated increased risks over what would normally be expected are:
all solid cancers – around 4% in females exposed as infants; breast cancer – around 6% in females exposed as infants; leukaemia – around 7% in males exposed as infants; thyroid cancer – up to 70% in females exposed as infants (the normally expected risk of thyroid cancer in females over lifetime is 0.75% and the additional lifetime risk assessed for females exposed as infants in the most affected location is 0.50%). For people in the second most contaminated location of Fukushima Prefecture, the estimated risks are approximately one-half of those in the location with the highest doses.
>>thyroid cancer – up to 70% in females exposed as infants