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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Children who survive a brain tumor or leukemia may have other health problems later in life. A new study reveals childhood cancer survivors who received radiation therapy are at a greater risk of a stroke as they age.
Previous research has shown survivors of leukemia or brain cancer during childhood are at greater risk for cardiac dysfunction, obesity, short stature, and hormone and neurocognitive deficits. This latest research is the first to focus on stroke.
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Investigators from UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas looked at leukemia and brain tumors in childhood, because the two combined account for more than half of all cancers among children under age 15. More than 70 percent of the patients of these two cancers survive more than five years.
The study reports that compared to siblings, leukemia survivors were two- to three-times more likely to suffer a stroke and brain cancer survivors were eight- to 10-times more likely to suffer a stroke. The research also shows brain tumor survivors who were treated with radiation were 15 times more likely to suffer a stroke. Furthermore, those who relapsed and were treated with radiation again were at an even greater risk for stroke.
Study authors report this discovery is important because survivors think they beat cancer and they can get on with their lives only to discover other health complications as they enter adulthood. Researchers say studies are being done now to see if reducing the level of radiation therapy can reduce learning problems and it will be interesting to see if it has any impacts on the stroke risk as well.
This research was part of a study being done at 26 sites looking at childhood cancer survivors.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
SOURCE: Journal of Clinical Oncology, published online Nov. 20, 2006
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