[ RadSafe ] woman died from the effects of radiation therapy more than 30 years after the treatment cured her

[Ivor Surveyor]

  I find it hard to understand the sequence in this case as described 
in TIMESonline.
A woman aged 69 dies from a haemorrhage site and (cause not stated).

I would suggest most likely a cerebral haemorrhage because of the 
statement of a semi-paralysed arm.

Another possible site for a massive and or fatal bleed is the 
gastro-intestinal tract.  In the case of the GI tract several 
pathologies are possible such as neoplasm, peptic ulcer disease, 
oesophageal varicose disease and so on.

Again it is not clear why an arm amputation was required.

If the bleed was from a second tumour, then this may be a consequence 
of previous treatment, or it my have its origin in a genetic 
mechanism common to both the first and second tumour.  An infective 
agent, may have been active in one or other tumour or both.  Most 
likely by far, is that the actual cause for this ladies breast cancer 
and ?second neoplasm is just unknown.

Skin scarring from radiotherapy especially in days gone by could be 
extensive and was common.  Again it is not clear to me what is the 
relevance of scarring to the fatal haemorrhage.

Of course if the cause of bleeding was the consequence of a non 
cancer disease.  Other risk factors such as smoking, blood lipid 
levels, alcohol in respect to liver disease and portal hypertension, 
systemic hypertension and so on have to be reviewed.

It would be very helpful if the detailed medical evidence was 
included in the TIMESonline report with the arguments advanced by the 
oncologist.

Ivor Surveyor, MD (Brist), FRACP, FRCP
Emeritus Consultant Physician, Nuclear Medicine,


[isurveyor at vianet.net.au]