A unifying concept for carcinogenic risk assessments: comparison with radiation-induced leukemia in mice and men.

This paper presents a new, general mathematical dose-response model which can use human, animal and cell culture data to predict the incidence of leukemia as a result of exposure to ionizing radiations. The model is based on simple considerations of fundamental biological processes of carcinogenic initiation, carcinogenic promotion and competing risk due to other toxic or disease reactions. The model can be used to predict the risk of leukemia for either human or animal populations which have been (or will be) treated with any radiation dose-time treatment protocol of interest. The model is both an extension and an outgrowth of earlier work done for the Oak Ridge dosimetry program in support activities for the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (formerly) and the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (currently).