Revision 1
March 19, 1998
by Radiation, Science, and Health, Inc.,
Edited by J. Muckerheide

1.9
Conclusions

"The consistent, statistically significant results showing radiation hormesis in cancer invalidate the zero thesis and all linear models derived by linear interpolation (often mislabeled ‘extrapolation’) from large doses to controls. There are no comparable data which support the linear models. Results from miners are not convincing because it is difficult to separate radiation carcinogenesis from particulate and fume oncogenesis. Information from human cells in culture have less meaning than well-controlled animal studies. Cells in culture are laboratory artifacts with little intercellular communication and negligible hormonal, neurologic or immune control systems. These are the reasons that the apparent optimum for humans far exceeds the recommended minimums set by various agencies."

"In addition to lowered cancer mortality rates, physiologic functions which appear to be enhanced include growth and development, auditory and visual acuity, learning and memory fecundity, and resistance to infection. These results are noted with both acute or chronic whole-body exposures. The subsequent increased average life span appears to explain the decreased mortality from infections and cancer; this appears to be due to a stimulation of immune competence (Luckey 1991, 1994; Sugahara et al 1992)."