Chernobyl Sasakawa Health and Medical Cooperation Project

The Chernobyl Sasakawa Health and Medical Cooperation Project was launched in May 1991 and its 5-year programs were completed in April 1996. Measurements of exposed radiation dose, thyroid examinations and blood tests were conducted for children in the five regions of the Ukraine, Belarus, and Russian Federation contaminated by radioactive substances from the Chernobyl accident. Examination of about 160000 children revealed that thyroid nodules and thyroid cancers were prevalent in Gomel, the most heavily contaminated among the five regions. However, no increases in leukemia were observed in any of the five regions. An additional 5-year project was initiated in May 1996 and completed in April 2001. The project programs included a case-control study on childhood thyroid cancer, a follow-up thyroid examination of children exposed to radiation and a health examination of children born after the accident. A telemedicine program between the Gomel Center and Nagasaki University School of Medicine, and an international cooperative project to establish thyroid cancer tissue banks are also being implemented. It is expected that all these programs have contributed to their original objectives, which were to provide support for the three Republics in their efforts to supply the best medical care for the people affected by the Chernobyl accident. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.