Pelvic fracture a risk for women having radiotherapy

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Older women having radiotherapy for cervical, rectal or anal cancer run a risk of pelvic fracture.
We already know that pelvic fractures are a major source of death and disability among older people. A team at the University of Minnesota now reveals that pelvic irradiation can increase the risk of such fractures.

Irradiation is a common method for treating pelvic malignancies. The researchers looked at 6,428 cases and compared those who had received radiotherapy with those who had not. In cases of anal, cervical and rectal cancer, those having radiotherapy had an increased risk of pelvic fracture compared to those who did not. The increased risks were three fold for anal cancer and about 1.6 fold for cervical and rectal cancers. It may be worthwhile targeting these women for increased bone density monitoring. They could, perhaps, be given drugs that prevent or slow down osteoporosis. The women could also be counseled about fall prevention.

Source
Journal of the American Medical Association November 23/30 Volume 294 pages 2587-2593

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