title: Carotid artery disease following external cervical irradiation.
abstract: A retrospective study of 910 patients surviving at least five years after cervical irradiation for Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, or primary head an neck neoplasms showed the incidence of stroke following cervical irradiation was 63 of 910 patients (6.3%) during a mean period of observation of nine years. This represents a trend toward an increased risk for this population observed over the same period of time (p = 0.39). A prospective study of 118 similar patients currently living five years after cervical radiotherapy was performed to determine the incidence of carotid artery disease occurring as a consequence of neck irradiation. Abnormal carotid phonangiograms (CPA) were found in 25% of the patients and abnormal oculoplethysmographs (OPG) were found in 17%. These studies represent significant carotid lesions that are not expected in such a population. It is concluded that the carotid stenoses demonstrated are most likely a consequence of prior irradiation. Patients that are five-year survivors of cervical irradiation should have noninvasive vascular laboratory studies performed as part of their routine follow-up examinations in order to detect these carotid lesions while they are occult.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000528:radiation effects; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk