New study suggests ‘zapping’ brain cancer tumours during radiotherapy is less risky than previously thought

Researchers say they have found that radiotherapy for brain cancer is less risky than previously thought.

The treatment kills cancer cells by ‘zapping’ tumours with high-energy radiation, but this can also damage healthy tissue and in rare cases, raise the risk of another cancer developing.

However, researchers at the University of Birmingham found the risk of it causing a second brain cancer is eight times lower than once believed.

The study compared, 3,679 patients with benign brain tumours who were given either radiotherapy or an alternative treatment.

Over 20 years, secondary tumours occurred in four per cent of those who had undergone radiotherapy and 2.1 per cent who had an alternative treatment.

The university’s Dr Niki Karavitaki said “Although there is an increased risk, it is small.”

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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.