SOP Bulletin No. 41

3 — rd October, 2000

IMPORTANT OPERATIONAL FEATURES

• The smoking factor now includes a cessation clause:  where smoking has ceased, the onset or worsening must have occurred within five years for both RH and BOP SOPS.   
• The “proximity to Hiroshima or Nagasaki” factor in the RH SOP has been replaced with a new atomic radiation exposure factor for both RH and BOP SOPs.  The new factor specifies the amount of atomic radiation – 0.2 Sievert (RH) and 1.0 Sievert (BOP) – which can cause goitre.  To apply the factor it will be necessary to calculate atomic radiation exposure in Sievert terms, and this advice is contained in SOP Bulletin No 42.

• Like the goitre SOP, the “proximity to Hiroshima or Nagasaki” factor in the RH SOP has been replaced with a new atomic radiation exposure factor:  the dosage requirements are 0.05 Sievert (RH) and 0.5 Sievert (BOP).
• The factor “a course of therapeutic radiation to the pelvis” now requires the first exposure to have occurred at least five years before the clinical onset of malignant neoplasm of the bladder in both RH and BOP SOPs.
• The smoking factor no longer requires smoking “at least ten cigarettes per day” for a period of five years (RH) / ten years (BOP);  it is now simply 2.5 pack years (RH) and five pack years (BOP).
• The “occupational exposure to aromatic amines” factor has been revised to refer to chemicals from the specified list.  The chemicals (aromatic amines) are unchanged, but the exposure levels are now:  the cumulative equivalent of three days per week for one year (RH) / five years (BOP).
• There is a new factor requiring exposure to specific concentration levels of “polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)”.  This would be an uncommon contention:  PAH are substances formed during the combustion of organic material and high temperature processing of industrial carbon compounds.  Once incorporated, CCPS commentary will provide further information and guidance about calculating exposure levels.

• The “exposure to herbicides in Vietnam” factor in the RH SOP has been replaced with two new factors:

• “Spra — ying or decanting a herbicide” (2,4-D or 2,4,5-T), as per current practice in recently issued RH & BOP SOPs with herbicide factors (eg NHL, Myeloma, MN Prostate)
• Being on land in Vietnam or at sea in Vietnamese waters for at least 30 days (RH only)

• Infection with Epstein-Barr virus has been added as a causal factor.

Remember! If you are having any problems with SOPs, or SOPs in CCPS, talk to us!

New SOPs and DSU Bulletins are available on the DSU Intranet Site at http://intranet/nat/comp/dp/Nop/dsu/dsudefault.htm