ARE THERE COMMON DENOMINATORS IN DIFFERENT RADIATION EXPOSURE SCENARIOS AS A TARGET FOR PREDICTIVE ASSESSMENT

The first panel discussion of the International Searle-Foundation Work shop on Biological Indicators of Exposure to Ionizing Radiation was di rected at identifying ''common denominators'' for the development of s omatic late effects. The presented accidents were analyzed in terms of occurrence of total body or partial body irradiation, external or int ernal contamination, onset of early signs or symptoms of acute radiati on syndrome, reduction of life expectancy, and occurrence of neoplasti c or non-neoplastic disorders. Evidence of radiation effects was sough t in the victims' cell systems and in any cellular or molecular respon se to ionizing radiation, and whether other complicating factors could be established, From the results presented during the meeting, as wel l as from a review of the relevant literature, it is, however, rather unlikely that a single parameter will emerge by which the late effects of ionizing radiation in man can be determined easily, Instead, a cou ple of acute and chronic effects of exposure to ionizing radiation cou ld be identified which are more or less common to any given exposure s cenario.