Recent results of the German Thorotrast study--epidemiological results and dose effect relationships in Thorotrast patients.

The German Thorotrast Study includes 5159 Thorotrast patients and 5160 control patients. 887 Thorotrast patients and 660 control patients could be clinically and biophysically examined and followed-up. The mean age at injection or hospitalization in the case of the control group was 28 yr. The mean injected volume of Thorotrast was calculated to be 24.7 ml and the X-ray films of 249 Thorotrast patients showed paravascular deposits. In the meantime 432 Thorotrast patients and 122 patients of the control group have died. Among the deceased patients we have registered (Thorotrast vs control): hepatic tumors 152/0; myeloproliferative diseases 10/0; Hodgkin's diseases 2/0; non-Hodgkin's lymphomas 5/1; bronchogenic carcinomas 13/6; pleural mesothelioma 1/0; bone sarcoma 1/1(?); sarcoma at injection site 1/0; hepatic cirrhosis 90/6; bone marrow failure 8/1; other neoplastic diseases 46/19; other non-neoplastic diseases 151/88. The cumulative incidence of liver tumors depends on the dose rate to liver tissue and is not influenced by the age at injection. A dose effect relationship for the myeloproliferative diseases is not yet apparent.