Re: Risks of low level radiation - New Scientist Article

["Jim Nelson" <nelsonjima@HOTMAIL.COM>]

Dr. Long,



What is it about Cohen's work that you find so substantial?  Do you relaize 

all his work is ecologic in nature?  Even he says it can not be used to 

assess lung cancer risk.  These studies below have far more validity than 

the ecologic studies you support.



http://www.cheec.uiowa.edu/misc/rd_review.pdf



http://www.cheec.uiowa.edu/misc/radon.html



I understand a national pooling is also underway by Lubin and others that 

may shed more light.  If you do in fact support Cohen's studies, your view 

is not shared by most epidemiologist I know.



Jim













>From: hflong@postoffice.pacbell.net

>Reply-To: hflong@pacbell.net

>To: Jim Nelson <nelsonjima@HOTMAIL.COM>

>CC: radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu

>Subject: Re: Risks of low level radiation - New Scientist Article

>Date: Thu, 06 Dec 2001 09:48:24 -0800

>

>Jim, Phillippe and members of the radsafe choir,

>Bernie Cohen's epidemiology is the best I have seen for any epideiology of

>anything. Believe me, I am critical and want a double blind prospective 

>study.

>

>The importance of informing the public is immense. Many of you will see the

>trillions of dollars of wasted effort, but I view as more important, the

>potential benefit of you-all dosing with radiation to enhance wound 

>healing,

>prevent cancer, etc.

>I hope many of you will add your voice to the education of the American 

>Cancer

>Society in this letter:

>.

>  Howard Long MD MPH, Family Doctor and Epidemiologist

>  363 St. Mary St., Pleasanton CA, 94566

>  (925) 846-4411, Fax 4524, Page 787-0253 hflong@pacbell.net

>

>Harmon J. Eyre, MD

>Executive Vice President for Research and Medical Affairs, American Cancer

>Society

>c/o CA –A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 1599 Clifton Road NE Atlanta GA 

>30329

>404-929-6824 Fax 404-3259341 www.cancer.org, e-mail: journals @cancer.org

>

>Is CA trustworthy? “Radon [causes lung cancer]” FrumkinH, Samet J V51:6 Nov 

>2001

>

>Dear Dr Eyre,

>“Environmental Carcinogens: This column is provided – offering reassurance 

>when

>patients’ fears are unfounded and focusing legitimate concern when they are

>warranted.”

>(Ref 1).

>

>Were Frumkin and Samet “offering reassurance when patients’ fears are

>unfounded.”?

>They state, “The Bottom Line: Based on extrapolation from occupational 

>studies,

>it is estimated that radon exposure accounts for between 3,000 and 33,000 

>lung

>cancer deaths in the US each year-. This makes radon the second leading 

>cause of

>lung cancer after smoking.”

>

>However, in a landmark study of over 70% of the USA population by Bernard 

>Cohen,

>between 1 and 6 pCi/l radon in homes was associated with 20% LESS lung 

>cancer

>than in homes with less radon, even after correcting for 52 confounding 

>factors,

>like smoking! (Ref.2).

>

>Support is abundant for benefit of radon. Presentations by Pollycove (Ref. 

>3)

>and Luckey (Ref.4) at Doctors for Disaster Preparedness yearly meetings are

>available on tapes and CDRom from jersnav@mindspring.com. A reward of over

>$5,000 awaits anyone who can can negate Cohen’s findings that the linear,

>no-threshold theory (LNT) does NOT fit ionizing radiation, just as it does 

>not

>fit sunshine - which also seems essential in low dose.

>

>The reputation of your journal CA, may depend on the vigor of your 

>correction of

>Frumkin and Samet’s worsening of unfounded fears, contrary to your stated

>intent..

>

>Sincerely,  Howard Long

>

>References:

>1.  FrumkinH,SametJ, Radon, CA, A Cancer Journal for Clinicians 51:5 

>337-348

>Nov20001

>2.  CohenB Test of the Linear - No Threshold Theory of Radiation 

>Carcinogenesis

>for     Inhaled Radon Decay Products, Health Phys.68,157-174 (1995) and

>Updates and extensions to tests of the linear-no threshold theory.

>                 Technology 7:657-672;2000

>3. PollycoveM and FeinendegenL, Biologic and Epidemiologic Foundations of

>Radiation  Hormesis, J Nucl Med 42:7,9, 2001, 76 references

>4. LuckeyT Radiation Hormesis crc press, 254 pp, 1018 refere



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