ICRP Task Group 111 has prepared a report that describes the Factors Governing the Individual Response of Humans to Ionising Radiation. The report is available for public consultation until 1 May 2026. This workshop will provide a summary of the report and its findings to the wider radiological protection community and offer an opportunity for discussion and comment with attendees through a moderated Q&A session. Participants are reminded that submission of comments through the ICRP website is required for any points to be considered by the Task Group in finalising the report for publication.
Participants who attend at least 50% of the workshop will receive a Certificate of Attendance via email within 48 hours of the event.
The current system for radiological protection of humans is largely based on populations rather than individuals – ICRP risk estimates for cancers are provided as age-, sex- and population averages, for example. In this publication an extensive review of the literature has been undertaken to consider which factors influence individual response to radiation in terms of normal tissue reactions following radiotherapy, circulatory diseases, cataract, cognitive impairment, and cancers. These include individual intrinsic such as sex, age, and genetic attributes, or extrinsic factors such as co-exposures to other agents or co-morbidities. While the literature related to individual factors is extensive, robust evidence exists for only a few factors. Age influences risk of cancer, cognitive impairment, and other normal tissue reactions; biological sex influences cancer risk; some genetic factors influence normal tissue reaction risk (inherited monogenic disorders) and possibly cancer risk; concurrent chemotherapy influences risk of normal tissue reactions and possibly circulatory disease risk; some underlying conditions/comorbidities influence normal tissue reaction risk and possibly cataract risk; and smoking influences cancer risk (with most evidence available from studies of radon exposure related lung cancer risk). While investigations have considered other factors such as alcohol consumption, body mass index, and the immune system, only limited and often conflicting evidence is available. While some studies suggest that individual risk of normal tissue reactions may be predicted by use of simple cellular or genetic tests, the overall evidence base is mixed, and no clear consensus exists that risk can be predicted. The situation is similar in terms of prediction of cancer risk.
11:00
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Welcome and IntroductionSimon Bouffler (ICRP, UK) |
11:10
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Early/Late Developing Normal Tissue Reactions Following RadiotherapyAndrzej Wojcik (ICRP & Stockholm University, Sweden) and Catherine West (ICRP & University of Manchester, UK) |
11:20
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Circulatory DiseasesPreetha Rajaraman (ICRP & Radiation Effects Research Foundation, Japan) |
11:30
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CataractsNobuyuki Hamada (ICRP & CRIEPI, Japan) |
11:40
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Cognitive ImpairmentClaudia Rübe (ICRP & Saarland University, Germany) |
11:50
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Human Studies on CancerKyoji Furukawa (ICRP & Kurume University, Japan) |
12:00
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Experimental Animal Studies on CancerTatsuhiko Imaoka (ICRP & QST, Japan) |
12:10
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Assessment of Uncertainties and Confidence in ConclusionsAndrzej Wojcik (ICRP & Stockholm University, Sweden) |
12:20
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Report ConclusionsSimon Bouffler (ICRP, UK) |
12:30
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Q&A |