What rates of radiation-induced secondary malignancies do you typically quote to patients in their 30s-40s?

This is an excellent question. Current breast cancer treatments yield great local control and overall survival rates; thus, leaving long term toxicity for breast cancer treatment as a major concern. As a resident, I often quoted patients the risk of secondary malignancies from radiation therapy to b...

For breast cancer, in consults with young women under 40, I generally say there may be a 1-2% chance of long term secondary malignancy (but these are also generally higher risk patients who will derive more benefit from RT). Those who are 50-60 I tell them the chance is maybe 1/1000 or less, and tho...

I have been quoting this meta-analysis to my breast patients.They determined the absolute risk increase from breast radiation for secondary lung cancer was 0.3% in non-smokers and 4% in smokers

Taylor C et al, Estimating the Risks of Breast Cancer Radiotherapy: Evidence From Modern Radiation Doses to...