Radiation-induced Carotid Artery Stenosis Positively Correlated in Patients 41 and Younger

Carotid artery stenosis was greater for patients 41 and younger following radiation therapy for head and neck cancers in a study conducted at Chang Gung University in Taiwan, according to an article in the August Journal of Vascular Surgery.

Of 290 patients enrolled in the study between 2002 and 2006, 192 had undergone radiation therapy for head and neck cancers. Using carotid duplex sonography to determine the severity of plaque bilaterally, the researchers found that the score was significantly correlated to age, hyperlipidemia and radiation levels.

When a multiple regression analysis was performed on the data related to the patients who underwent radiation therapy, an age of 50 or older was inversely correlated with plaque score. However, the plaque score for participants age 41 and younger showed a positive correlation.

"In head and neck cancer, the high post-treatment incidence of radiation-induced CAS indicates the importance of regular examination of the carotid duplex and early antiplatelet prophylaxis," concluded Yeu-Jhy Chang, et al, in the article "Predictors of Carotid Artery Stenosis After Radiotherapy for Neck and Head Cancers." The researchers also noted that different age groups may require different radiation therapy strategies to prevent radiation-induced carotid artery stenosis.