Does neck radiation therapy for Hodgkin lymphoma increase the prevalence and severity of asymptomatic carotid arterial disease in young survivors compared to controls?
Young survivors of Hodgkin lymphoma treated with neck radiation therapy have a significantly increased prevalence of asymptomatic carotid arterial disease compared to healthy controls.
PURPOSE: To determine the prevalence and severity of asymptomatic carotid arterial disease in young patients following neck radiation therapy for Hodgkin lymphoma and to compare the prevalence of carotid arterial disease following radiation therapy alone with that following radiation therapy and chemotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-two survivors of childhood or early adult Hodgkin lymphoma aged 18-37 years who had undergone radiation therapy more than 5 years earlier underwent carotid arterial ultrasonography. Common carotid intima-media thickness was measured; carotid vessels were assessed for intima-media abnormalities. Results were compared with those from 33 control subjects. RESULTS: Patients had a significantly greater number of abnormal scans than did control subjects (11 26% vs one 3%; P .2). CONCLUSION: Asymptomatic carotid arterial disease occurs frequently in young patients following neck radiation therapy for Hodgkin lymphoma. No difference in prevalence was shown between only radiation therapy and radiation therapy plus chemotherapy.
King et al. (Fri,) studied this question.