Key result
Radiation exposure from EVAR and 15 years of annual CTA follow-up carries an estimated excess cancer risk of 0.0046 (1 in 219 patients), mostly driven by postoperative imaging.
Why the study?
The risk of radiation-induced cancer development in patients undergoing infrarenal EVAR, including the relative contributions of the procedure and perioperative CTAs, was not well defined.
Does radiation exposure from EVAR and annual CTA follow-up increase the risk of cancer in male patients undergoing infrarenal EVAR?
Observational (n=140)
Does radiation exposure from EVAR and annual CTA follow-up increase the risk of cancer in male patients undergoing infrarenal EVAR?
Radiation exposure from EVAR and subsequent yearly CTA follow-up carries a lifetime excess cancer risk of approximately 1 in 220, highlighting the need to minimize routine postoperative CTA use.
May warrant reduced postoperative CTA frequency after EVAR; leaves open whether radiation-sparing protocols lower actual cancer incidence.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the risk of radiation-induced cancer development in patients that have undergone an infrarenal EVAR, stratifying the relative contributions of the procedure and the preoperative and postoperative CTAs. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The organ-specific absorbed radiation doses from CTA and the EVAR procedure were estimated from the radiation exposures of 95 and 45 male patients, respectively. Lifetime attributable risk (LAR) cancer predictions were calculated for 14 different organs. Life expectancy was assumed from a previous cohort of patients undergoing infra-renal EVAR. RESULTS: The calculated total excess cancer risk was 0.0046, ie, 1 out of 220 patients will develop a neoplasm after being exposed to the ionizing radiation from the preoperative CTA, the EVAR and annual CTA examinations for 15 years. The procedure and the preoperative CTA contributed with 38% of the total excess risk, while the rest was derived from the follow-up. If the entire CTA based follow-up would have been eliminated, an excess risk of 0.0018 (1/560) would remain. CONCLUSIONS: 1 out of 219 patients who have undergone EVAR of an infra-renal AAA have a lifetime risk of developing cancer secondary to the radiation exposures related to the procedure and the CTAs used preoperatively and during follow-up. This risk derives mostly from the yearly postoperative CTAs, underlining the potential benefits of reducing or replacing their use.Clinical ImpactA simulation-based estimation reinforced the potential deleterious effects of the radiation exposure for patients undergoing Endovascular Aneurysm Repair (EVAR) of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAA) and subsequently followed by yearly Computer Tomography Angiographies (CTAs). The risk could be as high as 1 out 219 patients developing a neoplasm after 15 years. The largest exposure derives from the follow-up CTAs and efforts to minimize their use as well as the intraoperative radiation are greatly needed. The simulation-based estimations done in this study reinforce potential deleterious effects of the radiation exposure for patients undergoing EVAR of AAA. Efforts should be done to minimize the intraoperative radiation and the number of CTAs used during follow-up.
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Singh et al. (2023) conducted an observational in Infrarenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (n=140). Radiation exposure from EVAR and CTA follow-up was evaluated on Total excess cancer risk (Lifetime attributable risk). Radiation exposure from EVAR and 15 years of annual CTA follow-up carries an estimated excess cancer risk of 0.0046 (1 in 219 patients), mostly driven by postoperative imaging.
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