Biomarkers in Exposures to Cigarette Smoke and Radiation

摘要

Cigarette smoking and inhalation of high concentrations of radon and radon daughters are each widely recognised as significant risks for lung cancer. When exposures occur together, the risk for lung cancer is more than additive (3). Plutonium-239 has been used in nuclear industries for over 50 years, and during that time workers have been exposed to accidental releases of ~(239)Pu aerosols. Some of these industries continue to use ~(239)Pu and some of the others are being cleaned up, so additional exposures to ~(239)Pu and y radiations are probable. Nuclear workers who smoke cigarettes may be particularly at risk because of potential synergistic effects. However, the combined risks of cigarette smoking and irradiation of the deep lung that occur with plutonium inhalation or external irradiation have not been studied. Here we summarise several studies examining the combined effects of chronically inhaled cigarette smoke and either ~(239)PuO_2 or external, thoracic X radiation on the induction of cancer in rats. In addition, studies are described to define the prevalence for genetic and epigenetic alterations in the lung tumours and their relationship to specific carcinogenic exposure.