AUG. 25, 2000

Health Happenings
Childhood X-Ray Exposure Increases Cancer Risk

Researchers have found that women with scoliosis, (abnormal curvature of the spine) who were exposed to multiple diagnostic X-rays during childhood and adolescence may have in-creased risk of breast cancer.

The 5,466 women in the study, who received an average of 24.7 X-rays, were found to have a 70%-higher risk of breast cancer than women in the general population. There were 77 breast cancer deaths among the patients, compared to 46 expected deaths based on U.S. mortality rates. Patients were younger than 20 years old when they were diagnosed with scoliosis between 1912 and 1965.

Researchers found that the risk of dying from breast cancer increased significantly with the number of X-rays. The vast majority (89%) of exams in this study involved definite or probable radiation exposure to the breast.