Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
4279576 The American Journal of Surgery 2012 7 Pages PDF
Abstract

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to estimate the risk of thyroid cancer as a secondary malignancy after radiation treatment of primary pediatric malignancies.MethodsUsing the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, we identified 7,670 patients from 1973 to 1988 with primary pediatric malignancies. The relative risk of thyroid cancer in irradiated patients was calculated using the Poisson regression model, and the Cox proportional hazards regression model was used for survival rates.ResultsThe relative risk (RR) of thyroid cancer for children who received radiation was 2.22 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15–4.29). It was highest for central nervous system cancer (RR = 4.47) and lowest for those with leukemia (RR = 1.75). Mortality was significantly reduced for patients who received radiation as children; the hazard ratio was .80 (95% CI, .75–.86).ConclusionsRadiation for pediatric malignancies increases the risk of developing thyroid cancer as a secondary malignancy; however, these patients had localized disease and lower 20-year mortality.

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