Issues and epidemiological evidence regarding radiation-induced thyroid cancer.

The available information on the induction of thyroid cancer in humans by ionizing radiation is summarized and weaknesses or gaps in assessing risk are identified. Issues to be addressed include: average estimates of thyroid cancer risk from external irradiation, the effects of age on thyroid cancer induction, shape of the dose-response curve for acute irradiation, magnitude of risk at low doses, effects of dose fractionation or dose protraction, the relative effectiveness of iodine-131 (131I) in inducing thyroid cancer compared to external radiation, the temporal course of radiogenic thyroid cancer risk, mortality caused by thyroid cancer, host-susceptibility factors for radiogenic thyroid cancer, and biological factors in risk. It is concluded that the most important needs are to obtain more information on thyroid cancer risks following low-level or highly fractionated radiation exposures and following 131I exposure in children.