1173 / 1173
Summary: Radiotherapy 2
•
Pronounced differences in types
of radiation-induced 2
nd
cancers exist between children, young adults and elderly
patients treated with radiotherapy
•
Types of 2
nd
cancers after radiotherapy are
different
from
those induced by low-dose total body irradiation,
e.g.
in the Japanese A-bomb survivors
•
Different biological mechanisms
can lead to 2
nd
cancers
after radiotherapy, depending on dose distribution and
age of the irradiated patient.
Dose risk relationships, therefore, can be complex
•
Risk
of radiotherapy-induced 2
nd
cancers should
not
be estimated
using the effective dose method
proposed by ICRP for radiation protection purposes