title: Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and radiotherapy-induced carotid atherosclerosis in subjects with head and neck cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Radiotherapy (RT) is a risk factor for accelerated carotid artery atherosclerotic disease in subjects with head and neck cancer. However, the risk factors of RT-induced carotid artery remodeling are not established. This study aimed to investigate the effects of RT on carotid and popliteal arteries in subjects with head and neck cancer and to evaluate the relationship between baseline clinical and laboratory features and the progression of RT-induced atherosclerosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven men (age = 57.9 ± 6.2years) with head and neck cancer who underwent cervical bilateral irradiation were prospectively examined by clinical and laboratory analysis and by carotid and popliteal ultrasound before and after treatment (mean interval between the end of RT and the post-RT assessment = 181 ± 47 days). No studied subject used hypocholesterolemic medications. Significant increases in carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) (0.95 ± 0.08 vs. 0.87 ± 0.05 mm; p < 0.0001) and carotid IMT/diameter ratio (0.138 ± 0.013 vs. 0.129 ± 0.014; p = 0.001) were observed after RT, while no changes in popliteal structural features were detected. In addition, baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels showed a direct correlation with RT-induced carotid IMT change (r = 0.66; p = 0.027), while no other studied variable exhibited a significant relationship with carotid IMT change.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that RT-induced atherosclerosis is limited to the irradiated area and also suggest that it may be predicted by low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in subjects with head and neck cancer.
authors.forename: Eduardo B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Tiago
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gemignani
authors.forename: Andrei C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Sposito
authors.forename: José R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Matos-Souza
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Cidade Universitária "Zeferino Vaz", Campinas, SP 13081-970, Brasil. wilnj@fcm.unicamp.br.
authors.forename: Wilson
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Nadruz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D008078:Cholesterol, LDL