[The presence of cesium-137 in the tissue of a lung tumor in someone who cleaned up the aftermath of the accident at the Chernobyl Atomic Electric Power Station].

A man of 66 participated in the emergency works after the Chernobyl accident. His official dose of radiation comprised 24 roentgens. In March, 1993, he underwent prophylactic examination including computed tomography which revealed peripheral tumor in the lower part of the left lung with penetration in the lymph nodes of the lung root. Biopsy showed it to be adenocarcinoma. Moreover, electron-microscopically, more than 40% of alveolar macrophages contained large optically dense particles in the cytoplasm. After lobectomy in March 1993 x-ray and gamma spectrometry of the removed lung tissue recorded high content of 137Cs (0.1-0.18 Bq). This finding evidences possible long-term deposition of radionuclides in the bronchopulmonary system of radiation-exposed subjects.