Radiation Protection Somatic Effects Flashcards

Radiation Protection Somatic Effects

• Radon: A heavy, radioactive gas, colorless and odorless, formed from uranium decay.
• Carcinogens: Agents that can cause cancer in living tissue.
• Carcinogenesis: Process leading to the creation of cancer cells.
• Carcinomas: Solid tumors originating from epithelial tissue; significant cancer category.
• Gene: Basic heredity unit on chromosomes composed of DNA, containing specific sequences related to characteristics.
• Gene amplification: Increase in the expression of a gene due to extra copies found in a cell.
• Gene p53: An important tumor suppressor gene that can also induce cell death in malignant cells.
• Leukemia: Abnormal proliferation of white blood cells, literally referred to as "white blood".
• Oncogenes: Genes that lead to abnormal cellular functions, increasing cancer risk.
• Point mutations: Genetic lesions occurring from the alteration or loss of a single DNA base pair.
• Proto-oncogenes: Normal genes that, when mutated, become oncogenes, involved in cell growth regulation.
• Reciprocal translocation: Chromosomal alteration where pieces of adjacent chromosomes exchange, possibly causing cancer.
• Sarcomas: Cancers originating in connective tissues; another major cancer category.
• Somatic cells: All human body cells except for reproductive (germ) cells.
• Suppressor genes: Genes that inhibit malignant cell replication.
• Somatic effects: Biological damage to individuals exposed to ionizing radiation.
• Early somatic effects: Occur shortly after radiation exposure, within minutes to weeks.
• Late somatic effects: Long-term consequences, manifesting months to decades post-exposure and can stem from high doses or low-level accumulations.
• Nonstochastic effects (deterministic): Effects directly related to radiation dose; severity increases with dose, below a threshold they do not occur.
• Nonstochastic early effects: Symptoms include nausea, fatigue, and skin reactions following early radiation exposure.
• Nonstochastic late effects: Long-term issues like cataracts and organ atrophy arising from previous high radiation doses.
• Stochastic effects (probabilistic): Randomly occurring mutations linked to radiation exposure; the probability of occurrence increases with doses.
• Stochastic late effects: Includes cancer development and embryologic defects.
• Ring formation: Designates cell death due to chromosome ends joining to form a ring structure.
• Dicentric chromosomes: Chromosomes with two centromeres; typically lead to cell death.
• Acentric chromosomes: Chromosomal fragments lacking a centromere.
• Reciprocal translocation aberration: Common radiation-induced chromosomal changes; may not result in immediate cell death but increase cancer risk.
• Cancer: A major stochastic effect from radiation exposure featuring uncontrolled cell growth; can metastasize to distant regions.
• Genetic effects: Mutations in reproductive cells potentially passed to future generations after exposure.
• Radiation exposure: Direct correlation between increased doses and cancer probability.
• Vulnerability: All cells can be cancerous, but certain tissues are more susceptible to malignancies.
• Cancer characteristics: Marked by uncontrolled proliferation of abnormal cells.
• Relative Risk: A model estimating cancer incidence increase in large populations with unknown radiation doses.
• Latent period: Time frame between exposure to a carcinogen and the manifestation of cancer symptoms.
• Radiographers' precautions: Essential due to proven links between radiation exposure and cancer risks.
• Population risk: Higher risk for men compared to women, influenced by lifestyle factors like smoking.
• Cancer from diagnostic imaging: Risk is minimal with very low incidence rates.
• Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation (BEIR): Committee guiding research on radiation exposure effects.
• Skin cancer etiology: Most commonly arises from excessive sun and UV light exposure.
• Main carcinogens: Include chemicals and radiation sources.
• Cancer severity and dose: Severity is not necessarily dose-dependent.
• Benefits vs. risks: Advantages of radiographic procedures generally outweigh radiation exposure risks.
• Latent period for tumors: Ranges from 20 to 50 years for solid tumors.
• Gene p53 function: Distinct for its ability to suppress and eliminate tumor cells.
• Cancer diversity: Approximately 100 distinct diseases classified under cancer.
• Common cancer sites: Predominantly blood, lymphatic system, skin, and uterus.
• Radiation dose-response: Leukemia and breast cancer follow a linear-quadratic response relationship.
• Cancer risk factors for men: Higher levels of smoking and occupational hazards contribute to increased incidence.
• Ionizing radiation effects: Younger individuals have a heightened risk for developing cancer due to longer latent periods.
• Cancer progression: Initially localized, with potential for systemic spreading via blood or lymphatic systems.
• Oncogene activation: Can result from genetic changes like amplification and translocation.
• Breast cancer probability: Approximately 1 in 9 women will develop breast cancer.
• Leading cancer mortality: Lung cancer is the predominant cause of cancer-related deaths.
• Thyroid cancer latent period: Typically varies from 10 to 20 years.
• Occupational cancers: An estimated 5% linked to chemical or environmental pollution exposure.
• Safe radiation exposure threshold: No exposure increases the cancer risk.
• Lung cancer survival rates: The overall 5-year survival rate is about 13%.
• Breast cancer risk factors: Include over 50 years of age, previous cancer history, nulliparity, and late childbirth.
• Absolute Risk: Precise prediction of cancer incidences due to specific radiation doses.
• Cancer origins: Approximately 80% of cancers arise from carcinogens or genetic mutations.
• Cancer dose-response relationship: Almost universally follows a linear-nonthreshold model.