Major NCI study finds increased risk of cancer in long-term Hodgkins ...( n's disease treatments and increased ri...),Health

n's disease treatments and increased risk of second cancers. However, Dr. Dores stressed that the findings should in no way discourage patients from undergoing therapy for Hodgkin's disease: "We have very effective therapies for this disease, which is now associated with an overall five-year relative survival rate of 85 percent. The benefits of treatment greatly outweigh the risk of developing a second cancer."

Unlike most other solid tumors, the increased relative risk for female breast cancer did not appear to decline at 25 years or beyond. Chest radiotherapy, including that used for treatment of Hodgkin's disease, is a well-established risk factor for breast cancer development. Among women with Hodgkin's disease, breast cancer accounted for the largest number of excess cancers, beyond what would be expected in the general population.

Dr. Dores also noted that treatment for Hodgkin's disease changed significantly over the period of the study, and that second cancer risk among long-term survivors often reflects earlier treatment protocols.

"This study provides a springboard for future research on the long-term effects of Hodgkin's disease and its associated treatments," Dr. Dores explained. "It provides us with a firm basis for future studies that account for specific treatments and tumor types."

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Contact: Stacia Momburg
momburgs@asco.org
703-299-1014
American Society of Clinical Oncology
14-Aug-2002

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