Sydney, July 22: Girls who undergo radiation therapy for childhood cancer are placed at an increased risk of developing breast cancer in the long run.
According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, childhood radiation for treating cancers such as Hodgkin’s lymphoma is linked to a higher risk of breast cancer in later life.
The more radiation a girl receives, the higher her risk of developing tumors will become.
The risk, however, will sharply decline in women receiving high doses of radiation to the ovaries.
Chemotherapy is not associated with an increased cancer risk among this population.
Scientists concluded that childhood radiation increases the risk of breast cancer in girls regardless of their age at the time of treatment.
–Agencies–