Scatter irradiation in childhood causes thyroid cancer

Cohen, Alex K; van der Schaaf, Agatha A

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2002.tb04584.x

Topics

Exposure of the thyroid gland to any irradiation requires lifelong follow-up supervision

One of the questions most frequently asked by patients about to receive radioactive iodine as therapy for non-malignant conditions is whether it will result in bodily cancer. This question has been satisfactorily answered in the negative,1,2 so strong reassurance can be given.

1 Department of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA.
2 Department of Nuclear Medicine, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, WA.

Correspondence: acohen@cyllene.uwa.edu.au

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