RADIATION-ASSOCIATED THYROID-CANCER - FACTS AND FICTION

Authors
Citation
P. Hall et Le. Holm, RADIATION-ASSOCIATED THYROID-CANCER - FACTS AND FICTION, Acta oncologica, 37(4), 1998, pp. 325-330
Citations number
46
Categorie Soggetti
Oncology
Journal title
ISSN journal
0284186X
Volume
37
Issue
4
Year of publication
1998
Pages
325 - 330
Database
ISI
SICI code
0284-186X(1998)37:4<325:RT-FAF>2.0.ZU;2-2
Abstract
Thyroid cancer is a rare and complex disease and the thyroid contains various cell types from which specific diseases arise. The malignancie s range from indolent to extremely aggressive. Several risk factors fo r thyroid cancers have been suggested, but only ionizing radiation has been found to have a causative effect. With the exception of tobacco, ionizing radiation is probably the most studied carcinogen there is. It is not pet possible to determine whether or not a specific cancer w as induced by radiation and epidemiological studies therefore provide the primary data on cancer risk in man after exposure to ionizing radi ation. The current epidemiological knowledge on radiation-associated t hyroid cancer is reviewed, focusing on the sharply increased risks rec ently found among children in the Chernobyl area.