Childhood Cancer Survivors Treated with Radiation Have Increased Tumor Risk
A University of Minnesota study finds that survivors of childhood cancer who received radiation treatment have an increased risk of brain and spinal column tumors.
The study reviewed more than 14,300 five-year survivors of childhood cancer who participate in the University’s Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. 116 survivors had developed tumors of the brain and central nervous system. Radiation exposure during childhood cancer treatment was linked with a higher risk for developing malignant and benign brain tumors later in life. The risk of a second tumor increased as the dose of radiation used to treat the first cancer increased.
Risk Is Higher for Children Under Five
The risk of secondary cancers occurring in childhood cancer survivors varies depending on the original cancer, age of the survivor at the first cancer diagnosis, and the primary treatment given, says Joseph Neglia, M.D., pediatric oncologist and researcher with the University of Minnesota Medical School and Cancer Center. He was the lead researcher on this study.
"Children under age five were especially vulnerable to the development of secondary brain tumors," says Neglia. "We think the increased tumor incidence may mean that the developing brain of a young child is very susceptible to the effects of radiation."
Follow-Up Care Is Crucial for Childhood Cancer Survivors
The researchers noted that "prolonged follow-up of all childhood cancer survivors, particularly those exposed to radiation, is crucial to the early detection of these tumors. Follow-up should be considered as a part of the effective therapy of the primary disease. All people treated for cancer as children should be in a long-term follow-up clinic where a physician can review their individual treatment, discuss the health issues they may encounter later in life, and recommend the necessary screenings."
Researchers working with Neglia on this study included Leslie Robison, Marilyn Stovall, Yan Liu, Roger Packer, Sue Hammond, Yutaka Yasui, Catherine Kasper, Ann Mertens, Sarah Donaldson, Anna Meadows and Peter Inskip. The study was funded by the National Cancer Institute and the Children’s Cancer Research Fund (CCRF).