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Radiation and Thyroid Cancer

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John Han-Chih Chang, MD
University of Pennsylvania Health System
Last Modified: November 1, 2001

An International Conference was held to facilitate understanding of the relationship between radiation exposure and the risk of thyroid cancer. The focus targeted the radioactive species of iodine. There does not appear to be an increase in the rate of thyroid cancer in patients treated with radioactive iodine for various thyroid diseases. However, evidence is mounting that patients exposed to diagnostic and therapeutic external radiation do exhibit an increased incidence of this cancer. Many of the current data come from researching the population present at the fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident.

The afore mentioned conference was held on July 20 - 23, 1998, at the University of Cambridge, St. John's College. This book details the proceedings of that meeting, by covering the original papers and posters that were presented.

The conference covered a wide array of topics. Radiation and the incidence of thyroid cancer were discussed, as well as population exposure studies to nuclear radiation. There were data on the molecular mechanisms of radiation carcinogenesis in the thyroid. Many papers were presented on prevention and screening, and one covered prediction of consequences after a nuclear accident.

The Conference hoped to accomplish several goals. The first is to understand the relationship between radiation and thyroid cancer, both in the population and on a molecular level. The second is to bring together scientists from all over the world to establish an international collaboration. This sharing of data could hopefully enhance and catalyze further study in this field.

This is a very interesting topic, and the editors have organized the material in a very crisp and easy to read fashion. This book is intended for health care professionals and the astute public at large interested in the relationship between radiation and thyroid cancer.