Radiation Risk Lingers Decades

People who have received radiation treatment for Hodgkin’s disease have a high risk of developing thyroid problems decades after the treatments end, according to new research. Hodgkin’s, a cancer of the lymph nodes and spleen, usually strikes people in their 20s and between 55 and 70 years of age. The thyroid gland, which produces important hormones, is vulnerable to the radiation used to treat Hodgkin’s.

To assess the risk of radiation treatments, Stanford University researchers led by Steven Hancock studied 1,787 patients treated between 1961 and 1989 and discovered 52% risked having thyroid disease 20 years after treatment. The risk jumped to 67% 26 years after the treatment.

The findings show that the risk of thyroid disease persists in Hodgkin’s survivors for many years and that doctors should continue to monitor them to prevent problems, the researchers said.