[ RadSafe ] Genetic Effects Of Radiation: Study Will Help Understand Radiation Exposure In Cancer Survivors And Their Children

[Cary Renquist]

Genetic Effects Of Radiation: Study Will Help Understand Radiation
Exposure In Cancer Survivors And Their Children

ScienceDaily (Oct. 8, 2009) - Researchers at the University of Oklahoma
Health Sciences Center are helping to lead a massive international study
on the possible genetic effects of radiation and cancer drug exposures
on future generations.

The study's principal investigators are meeting this week at the OU
Health Sciences Center to discuss their recent findings, which will be
presented at an upcoming meeting of the American Society of Human
Genetics.

The study, which combines cancer survivors in the United States and
Scandinavia, is looking at potential genetic consequences of
reproductive organs exposed to curative therapy by drugs or radiation.
Scientists want to determine whether radiation and chemotherapy before
conception increases the occurrence of birth defects, stillbirths and
specific conditions such as Down syndrome. They also want to know if
radiation treatment leads to cancer or DNA damage in the patients'
offspring. It is the first and largest study of its kind.

In Denmark and Finland, researchers have been able to identify all
cancer survivors since 1943 and 1952, respectively, who had cancer
before age 35. They also documented the nearly 20,000 children produced
by the survivors. Scientists now want to compare their findings with
patients in the United States.

"So far, the results have been encouraging," said John J. Mulvihill,
M.D., one of the leaders of the study and a renowned geneticist at the
OU College of Medicine and the OU Cancer Institute. "This study is
important for many reasons, but most notably for cancer survivors who
need reassurances that their children will not be affected by their
chemotherapy and radiation treatment. This research also will help
families in Hiroshima and Chernobyl where residents were exposed to high
levels of radiation as children and young adults."

In addition to the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, seven
top cancer research centers worldwide are participating in the study.


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Cary Renquist
cary.renquist at ezag.com