Complications from Radiation Therapy

There are some complications from using radiation therapy to treat Hodgkin's disease.

Most commonly, radiation is used in the chest area. This area, called the "mediastinum," is often involved with Hodgkin's disease.

The most common organ adversely affected by chest radiation is the thyroid gland. Radiation can damage thyroid cells that make thyroid hormone. This may lead to lower than normal blood levels of thyroid hormone (called hypothyroidism). Radiation also increases the risk of developing thyroid cancer.

People who have radiation to the chest need to be monitored for thyroid abnormalities for the rest of their lives.