Abstract

In recent years, several national and international institutions (NRC, UNSCEAR, ICRP) have drawn up reports and recommendations on the risk from exposure to ionising radiation. These documents discuss the possibility that human tissue could display sex-specific differences in radiation sensitivity.

In light of this, in a letter of 16 January 2008, the BMU requested the SSK to evaluate the findings of current studies on this topic.

In its statement, the Commission concludes that due to the limited data currently available, with regard to both clinical studies and to biological experiments, and in view of the sometimes conflicting findings of epidemiological studies, at present no conclusive statements on sex-specific differences in radiation sensitivity can be made. After analysing the various studies, the Commission cannot share the certainty expressed in some opinions of other national and international institutions regarding a generally higher radiation sensitivity in women.

After careful analysis, therefore, the Commission concludes that it is not necessary at present for radiological protection to consider possible sex-specific differences in radiation sensitivity in the context of radiological protection.

The Commission points out that further research is needed in order to provide conclusive evidence and an understanding of possible sex-specific differences in the radiation-induced incidence of tumours in individual organs and in the radiation sensitivity of entire organisms based on molecular, cellular and tissue reactions to irradiation. Future studies should already be optimised in the conceptual stage with a view to a subsequent evaluation of sex-specific differences in radiation risk.

The Commission on Radiological Protection adopted the statement "sex-specific differences in radiation sensitivity - epidemiological, clinical and biological studies" in its 236th meeting on 17/18 September 2009.