Comptes Rendus
no. 7-8
Du combustible nucléaire aux déchets : recherches actuelles/From nuclear fuels to waste: current research
Pathogenic effects of low dose irradiation: dose–effect relationships
[Effets pathogènes d'un faible débit de dose : la relation « dose–effet »]
Roland Masse1
1 Académie des technologies, 11, rue du Haras Résidence Le Boqueteau Acacias 2, 91240 Saint Michel sur Orge, France
Comptes Rendus. Physique, Volume 3 (2002) no. 7-8, pp. 1049-1058.

On ne connaı̂t pas d'effet pathogène induit chez l'homme par des faibles débits de dose jusqu'à 100 mSv par an. Les effets attribués aux faibles expositions sont le résultat d'extrapolations. La validité en est critiquée sur la base des observations épidémiologiques et des acquisitions récentes de la biologie cellulaire et moléculaire. L'accident de Tchernobyl a occasionné un excès important de cancers de la thyroïde chez les enfants ; il a conduit en outre à attribuer à l'exposition aux rayonnements ionisants des effets sanitaires réels dans des populations en détresse ; les enquêtes conduites révèlent cependant que ces phénomènes n'ont pas de relation avec l'intensité de l'exposition et sont imputables à la désorganisation sociale, aux carences et éventuellement à d'autres facteurs de l'environnement. Diverses hypothèses sont envisagées pour rendre compte de la prévalence augmentée de maladies non cancéreuses dans les groupes humains exposés à plus de 300 mSv.

There is no evidence of pathogenic effects in human groups exposed to less than 100 mSv at low dose-rate. The attributed effects are therefore the result of extrapolations from higher doses. The validity of such extrapolations is discussed from the point of view of epidemiology as well as cellular and molecular biology. The Chernobyl accident resulted in large excess of thyroid cancers in children; it also raised the point that some actual sanitary effects among distressed populations might be a direct consequence of low doses. Studies under the control of UN have not confirmed this point identifying no dose–effect relationship and “severe socio-economic and psychological pressures… poverty, poor diet and living conditions, and lifestyle factors” as the main cause for depressed health. Some hypothesis are considered for explaining the dose-dependence and high prevalence of non-cancer causes of death among human groups exposed to more than 300 mSv.

Reçu le :
Accepté le :
Publié le :
DOI : 10.1016/S1631-0705(02)01349-X
Keywords: low doses, mutagenesis, cancer, pathogenic effects, radiation sensitivity, linear no threshold hypothesis (LNT), adaptive response, bystander effects
Mot clés : faibles débits de dose, cancer, effets pathogènes
Roland Masse 1

1 Académie des technologies, 11, rue du Haras Résidence Le Boqueteau Acacias 2, 91240 Saint Michel sur Orge, France 
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Roland Masse. Pathogenic effects of low dose irradiation: dose–effect relationships. Comptes Rendus. Physique, Volume 3 (2002) no. 7-8, pp. 1049-1058. doi : 10.1016/S1631-0705(02)01349-X. https://comptes-rendus.academie-sciences.fr/physique/articles/10.1016/S1631-0705(02)01349-X/

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