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4. Chronic Radiation Could Be an Effective Immunity from Cancers

"Cancer causes the highest mortality and is still increasing rapidly in Taiwan; however, chronic radiation has been proved to be an effective immunity from cancers in an unusual “experiment” carried out by;10 000 inhabitants who lived in about 1700 houses unknowingly contaminated with 60Co for 10 to 15 yr. These houses were constructed from 1982 through 1984 and found contaminated since July 1992. The majority of the inhabitants are still living in the contaminated houses today.¹

"When the inhabitants moved into the contaminated houses, the first year the yearly dose was up to 960 mSv, with an average of ~48 mSv, evaluated conservatively by government health physicists based on a 24-h stay in the houses. (This is 9.6 times the government dose limit and 32 times the average yearly dose received by nuclear workers in Taiwan.) The total doses until today are a maximum 660 cSv with an average of 33 cSv. They are the highest doses ever received by human beings from peaceful uses of nuclear energy except in medical cancer therapies. But, no deterministic harmful effects have ever been observed in medical examinations of the inhabitants. Cytogenetic studies were also conducted; no negative results were observed. International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) theory predicted that their cancer mortality and hereditary defects would increase, but there have been no unusual results in 15 yr of epidemiological observation, even though considerable leukemia deaths could show up after 5 yr (Ref. 2).

"However, if hormesis is considered possible, the situation is completely different. When the inhabitants moved into the ⁶⁰Co contaminated houses, radiation hormesis resulting from the stimulation of the immune system would have affected them immediately. The number of cancer deaths would be reduced and could be readily observed right away. Waiting for many years is unnecessary. The cancer mortality of the whole population of Taiwan from 1982 through 1997 averaged ~108:100 000/yr (Ref. 3). The predicted number of cancer deaths of the inhabitants in the contaminated houses, assumed to be the same age as the general population, even if they had received no radiation at all in the period, would be about 162 people (108/100 000 X 10 000 X 15=162). But, the actual cancer death number of the inhabitants investigated by the welfare organizations, and constantly reported by the media to the public, was only six people.⁴ The radiation hormesis induced to them had reduced their cancer mortality to only ~3.7% that of the general public (6/162 = 0.037). While they were arguing that they were harmed by radiation and suing the government for compensation, they would not use smaller cancer percentages rather than actual number of cancer deaths. The Ministry of Health of the government was twice officially requested to produce careful statistics for population data of the inhabitants in the period, but such a survey has not been conducted. "Radiation hormesis is well known today throughout the world. The experience of the inhabitants in the ⁶⁰Co-contaminated houses has provided a solid proof for its existence. The hormesis of chronic radiation could provide beneficial effects to human beings. Its immune effects against cancer are so strong, it should be employed as an effective immunity against cancers. Meanwhile, all the measures for the contaminated houses and all the studies focused exclusively on the harmful effects to the inhabitants should be stopped. Studies that consider the beneficial effects, including population for correct age adjustment and research and development on the use of radiation for cancer suppression, should be started at once by all radiation and medicine organizations in Taiwan. Other countries of the world should also do so. This might be a new hope for human beings to deal with cancers.

"Based on the experience of the contaminated houses, the following conclusions can be deduced:

1. All chronic radiation received in nuclear power plants and all peaceful uses of nuclear energy may also be beneficial to human beings. All the radiation protection policies, standards, and measures based on ICRP theory and recommendations should be properly modified. In addition, nuclear workers and the general public should be told to stop worrying about the risks of low-level radiation.

2. Chronic radiation from proper doses from proper sources should be considered to be an effective source of immunity from cancers."

"New knowledge about radiation effects might be this: Acute, high-dose radiation from nuclear explosions or accidents is harmful and the higher the dose, the higher the harmful effects; however, it has a threshold value of ~200 to 500 mSv and might be beneficial with doses below that threshold. Chronic radiation from nuclear power plants and other peaceful uses might be a constant benefit to human beings. Luckey’s investigations of many cases with lower doses, at ~5 cSv, showed that cancer mortality was reduced to ~59.5% (Ref. 5). A threshold value for chronic radiation may be determined from the population with high doses in the Techa River area in Russia. It could be ten times higher than for acute radiation. It would be very unlikely for human beings to ever again receive such high doses.

"When the inhabitants carried on the 'experiments' unknowingly in the ⁶⁰Co-contaminated buildings, they suffered a great deal of anxiety over their health and property losses. Their contribution in providing such opportunity for human beings to understand chronic radiation is beneficial. It could be used for studying immunity from cancers and should be highly respected and honored by people all over the world. They should be studied for any more health effects possibly introduced to human beings and for continued use of radiation for immunity against cancers."

1. “Report of the Source of Co-60 Contaminated Reinforced Steel-Bars Analysis,” Atomic Energy Commission, Taiwan (1997).

2. “Report of yearly R&D and Annual Report,” Atomic Energy Commission, Taiwan.

3. Yearly statistics of death, 1982–1997, Ministry of Health, Taiwan.

4. The White Book of Radioactive Contamination, Vol. 2, Radioactive Contamination Victim Association (1996).

5. T. D. LUCKEY, “Low-Dose Irradiation Reduces Cancer Deaths,” Radiation Protection Management (Nov./Dec. 1997).