Possible link found between diagnostic radiation and prostate cancer
- From: rpautrey2 <rpautrey2@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2008 03:45:01 -0700 (PDT)
Possible link found between diagnostic radiation and prostate cancer
July 02, 2008
Researchers at The University of Nottingham have shown an association
between certain past diagnostic radiation procedures and an increased
risk of young-onset prostate cancer — a rare form of prostate cancer
which affects about 10 per cent of all men diagnosed with the disease.
The study, the first of its kind to report the relationship between
low dose ionising radiation from diagnostic procedures and the risk of
prostate cancer, was funded by the Prostate Cancer Research Foundation
(PCRF) and is part of the UK Genetic Prostate Cancer Study (UKGPCS).
The results of the study have been published online in the British
Journal of Cancer.
The study showed that men who had a hip or pelvic X-ray or barium
enema 10 years previously were two and a half times more likely to
develop prostate cancer than the general population. And the link
appeared to be stronger in men who had a family history of the
disease.
The research was led by Professor Kenneth Muir, from the Division of
Epidemiology and Public Health at The University of Nottingham, in
association with Dr Rosalind Eeles at The Institute of Cancer Research
and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.
Professor Muir said: “Although these results show some increase in the
risk of developing prostate cancer in men who had previously had
certain radiological medical tests we want to reassure men that the
absolute risks are small and there is no proof that the radiological
tests actually caused any of the cancers.”
Four hundred and thirty one men, diagnosed with young onset prostate
cancer — men diagnosed with the disease before the age of 60 — took
part in the study.
The exposure to radiation was part of normal medical procedures which
were performed 5, 10 or 20 years before diagnosis. Procedures included
hip and leg X-rays, for example taken after an accident, and barium
meals and enemas which are used to diagnose problems with the
digestive system.
At this stage the evidence linking diagnostic radiation procedures and
prostate cancer is still weak. This research suggests that further
investigation into this link should be undertaken.
X-ray procedures used for diagnostic purposes deliver very small
amounts of radiation per procedure. Their use is minimised in current
medical practice. For most people X-rays do not increase the risk of
developing cancer.
Source: University of Nottingham
This news is brought to you by PhysOrg.com
URL: http://www.physorg.com/news134224046.html
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