The most prominent example of health effects
on Fukushima children is observed in the Fukushima prefectural health control
survey for children under 18. Amazingly,
thyroid cysts or nodules were observed among 43% of the subjects and among the
girls between 6 to 10 years old, the figures exceed 50%
The leader of this health survey team, Dr.
Shunichi Yamashita had conducted thyroid echo tests on 250 children in Nagasaki
in 2000, and only 2 (0.8%) were detected with nodules. However, Fukushima health survey team made an
excuse that the current echo machine is more refined and can detect 1mm nodule
image while the one in 10 years ago detected only 5mm or above.
As for this issue, Dr. Masamichi Nishio, the
director of Hokkaido Cancer Center compared children with nodules more than
5.1mm in Fukushima one and half years after the accident with the one in
Chernobyl 10 years after the accident. Dr. Nishio said that already 5 times more
children are detected with nodules of 5.1mm or larger in Fukushima compared to
Chernobyl and this figure could be bigger as the time elapses.
It is
not only thyroid cancer which is caused by radiation. If people have inhaled a large amount of
radionuclides, respiratory abnormalities surely can be predicted and I’ve heard
and read that there have been many
respiratory diseases observed in Chernobyl contaminated areas. According to Dr. Akira Sugenoya, who had
worked in Belarus for 5 years for medical support, one in 6 thyroid cancer child patient later developed lung cancer.
Moreover, some medical circles send out more concrete
messages. Thyroid Association announced a written notice to thyroid doctors in
Japan not to conduct further thyroid tests on Fukushima children, which
hampers the parents from getting second opinions or second test. However, some
parents managed to get the second opinion and some found more nodules in their
children’s thyroid. The
interval of 2 years for the next examination may become too late for some
patients considering the possibility of aggravation of nodules and cysts,
metastasis of cancer to lymph and other tissues. Also as I mentioned before, there was a
patient whose nodule was only 5mm and cancer was found. Irrespective of the size, biopsy should be
available.
On
September 11, 2012, regretfully, the first thyroid cancer patient was found
only a road outside of the evacuation zone.
At the announcement of this sad news, the causal relationship with the
radiation was denied promptly by the committee members of the prefecture.
However,
immediately after this announcement, it was revealed that secret meetings had been held among the committee members and the
members were told not to reveal the existence of the meeting (http://enenews.com/govt-held-inappropriate-secret-meetings-about-human-health-impacts-from-fukushima-crisis).
Before the announcement of the 1st
thyroid cancer patient, members were practicing how to be prepared to answer
questions so that they could deny the causal relationship between radiation and
thyroid abnormalities7, and eventually, Dr. Shunichi Yamashita, the
committee leader apologized on this incident (http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20121119p2a00m0na017000c.html). …..
Even more serious issue is that
the government stopped announcement of further thyroid cancer cases. There was a additional case of a child who
needed further testing in 2011 October, but the result has been concealed. On my telephone inquiry, the person in charge
at Fukushima prefecture health examination told me, “We are not
aware of the result, though the result should have been released sometime ago.” On top of that a doctor I
know directly know the case of another child who got thyroid cancer in
Fukushima. In total, at least three
children got thyroid cancer in Fukushima, but only one case has been released so
far.
A sad news came finally on February 13, it was reported
on the net and local news that 3 thyroid
cancer patients were found among Fukushima children out of 38000 who had gone
through medical inspection. Compared to the regular thyroid cancer incident
rate among children with 1 out of 180000 according to National Cancer Center
data, so this is approcimately10 times high!
Moreover, 7 more children are now highly
suspected to have cancer among the above children……On the contrary, Dr. Shunichi Yamashita,
who has been gathering the most criticisms from the citizens by nuclear
accident affected areas, was honored
with “Dr. Takemi Memorial Award” (Dr. Takemi is the name of former
president of Japan Medical Association and also World Medical Association) in
December 2012. This simple fact shows
how medical associations are corrupt with interested groups. …….
….Moreover, I heard
quite an amazing story, from a doctor I know.
According to him, at a radiation related symposium for medical workers,
a radiation expert doctor stated in his speech, “At the time of echo examination for arteriosclerosis in neck area,
tell the echo technician not to leave a photo or written record of thyroid even
if a cyst is found there.” According to this
doctor, he has never heard of this kind of restriction since he became a doctor
decades before. Not only that, he
mentioned that similar kinds of self –restraints are
widely observed in hospitals avoiding the topic of radiation exposure. It
is quite a matter of concern that Japanese doctors themselves avoid the issues
of radiation exposure in their daily practices in this contaminated land.
*comparison between chernobyl and Fukushima thyroid result
|
|
Chernobyl
|
Fukushima
|
|
Nodules 5.1mm or larger
|
0.5% (10 years after)
|
2.5% (1 year after)
|
|
Cysts 5.1mm or larger
|
0.5% (10 years after)
|
0.5% (1 year after)
|
Source: Dr. Masamichi
Nishio, Director, Hokkaido Cancer Cente
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