2060-2061 / 2063
Summary: Radiotherapy 1
•
In radical radiotherapy, radiation exposure to non-involved organs and
tissues may cause 2
nd
cancers
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 also appear in the low dose (<2 Gy) volume