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Summary: Radiotherapy 1
•
In radical radiotherapy, radiation exposure to non-involved
organs and tissues may cause 2
nd
cancers to occur
several decades later
•
In adult cancer patients, the risk of radiation-induced
2
nd
cancers is
much smaller
than the risk of recurrent
primary cancer
•
In adults, >90% of 2
nd
cancers after radiotherapy are due
simply to
increased life expectancy
after cure of primary
•
Risk of radiation-induced 2
nd
cancers is much
greater in
younger
cancer patients; these increased cancer rates may
persist lifelong
•
Most radiation-induced 2
nd
cancers occur in the
high-dose
volume
but can also appear in the low dose (<2 Gy) volume