Radiation exposure increases the risk that cancer survivors will go on to develop another cancer.
Radiation exposure increases the risk that cancer survivors will go on to develop another cancer.
It is known that radiation exposure can cause cancer but it isn't known whether it increases a person's risk of developing a second cancer. In order to find out, American and Japanese researchers analysed data from more than 14,048 survivors of the atomic bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki who developed primary cancers.
It was found that radiation exposure multiplied the risks of first and second cancers to a similar degree. People exposed to radiation who developed cancer also had a high risk of developing a second cancer, and the risk was similar for both solid tumours and leukaemias in both men and women. The link between radiation exposure and second cancers was especially strong for radiation-sensitive cancers such as leukaemia and tumours of the lung, colon, breast, thyroid and bladder.
The findings suggest that cancer survivors with a history of radiation exposure should continue to be carefully monitored for second cancers.
It is known that radiation exposure can cause cancer but it isn't known whether it increases a person's risk of developing a second cancer. In order to find out, American and Japanese researchers analysed data from more than 14,048 survivors of the atomic bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki who developed primary cancers.
It was found that radiation exposure multiplied the risks of first and second cancers to a similar degree. People exposed to radiation who developed cancer also had a high risk of developing a second cancer, and the risk was similar for both solid tumours and leukaemias in both men and women. The link between radiation exposure and second cancers was especially strong for radiation-sensitive cancers such as leukaemia and tumours of the lung, colon, breast, thyroid and bladder.
The findings suggest that cancer survivors with a history of radiation exposure should continue to be carefully monitored for second cancers.
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