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Radiotherapy has risks to heart and brain

A patient would have to have 50 CAT scans or 25,000 normal chest X-rays to be exposed to 0.5 Gray but a cancer patient receiving radiotherapy treatment is likely to be exposed to several Gray

Radiation treatment should be minimised over heart fears: advisers – Telegraph UK, Doctors who treat cancer patients with radiotherapy are being urged to keep the doses to a minimum over fears the treatment raises the risk of heart disease. By Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor
07 Oct 2010 Government advisers have urged caution as studies have shown high doses of radiation affect the blood vessels causing them to thicken.

Members of the Advisory Group on Ionising Radiation which reports to the Health Protection Agency found that the blood vessels may be affected at levels of radiation associated with cancer treatment……..

A Gray is a unit of radiation dose.

A patient would have to have 50 CAT scans or 25,000 normal chest X-rays to be exposed to 0.5 Gray but a cancer patient receiving radiotherapy treatment is likely to be exposed to several Gray, a spokesman for the Health Protection Agency said.

Further research should be conducted to establish the risks of low level of exposure and patients receiving radiation therapy should be monitored, the advisory group said.

Where possible, AGIR recommended, radiation doses to patients’ brains and hearts should be kept as low as possible.

Radiation treatment should be minimised over heart fears: advisers – Telegraph

October 8, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, health | radiation, radioactive