Childhood cancer is linked to increased stroke risk

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Survivors of childhood leukemia and brain tumors are more likely to have a stroke in later life.
Leukemia and brain tumors account for more than half of cases of childhood cancer. Previous research has suggested that those who survive are at risk of various health problems in later life, such as cardiac dysfunction and hormone deficits. Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern have been participating in the Childhood Cancer Survivors Study, which is looking at these long-term effects.

They have found that leukemia survivors are two to three times more likely to have a stroke than the general population. Brain cancer survivors were eight to ten times more likely to have a stroke. The risk was greater still when they had been treated with radiation therapy. What is more, the strokes often occur when the cancer survivor is in early adulthood and thinks they are over their health problem. The risk of stroke may be linked to radiation therapy and doses of this for childhood cancer have been reduced in recent years. The researchers want to see if this factor can reduce the risk of strokes. They are also trying to find a way of pinpointing those childhood cancer survivors who are most at risk of stroke and seeing what can be done to protect them.

Source
Journal of Clinical Oncology online 20th November 2006

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