Radiation exposure is a known risk factor for thyroid cancer, and it can come from a variety of sources, including medical treatments and nuclear accidents. A recent study found that even low doses of radiation to the head and neck area can increase the risk of papillary and follicular thyroid cancers in children. The study looked at data from people who had a history of radiation exposure as children. It found that even exposure to as little as 0.1 Gray (the equivalent of a chest x-ray) could increase the risk of thyroid cancer.
The risk increased with the amount of radiation the child received, meaning that the greater the dose, the higher the risk. It is not yet clear whether radiation-related thyroid cancer behaves differently than sporadic thyroid cancer. However, with the increasing use of CT scans in pediatric medicine, there is a greater possibility that pediatric patients will be exposed to higher levels of radiation. This is because CT scans often require multiple scans and use contrast injections, which can increase radiation exposure.
The study also found that papillary thyroid cancer accounted for almost all of the increased incidence of thyroid cancer. In addition, the average size of papillary thyroid cancers at the time of detection was decreasing, suggesting that more cases were being detected earlier. The authors concluded that children who have been exposed to radiation should be monitored for the development of thyroid nodules or cancer for the rest of their lives. They also recommended strategies to reduce radiation exposure to the thyroid, such as using a thyroid collar during dental procedures.
In conclusion, exposure to radiation at an early age is a known risk factor for developing differentiated thyroid cancer, and this risk lasts for four decades or more after exposure. Children who have been exposed to radiation should be monitored for signs of thyroid cancer throughout their lives.
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