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Which conditions must be met for a later cancer to be considered radiation-induced?
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radiation therapy
External beam radiation therapy (also known as external beam teletherapy, or long-distance therapy) being delivered using a machine known as a linear accelerator.
For a secondary malignancy to be classified as radiotherapy-induced, it must meet three specific criteria:
- Histological difference: The new cancer must be of a different histology than the patientās initial tumor.1
- Location: The malignancy must occur within the specific field that was exposed to the radiation treatment.1
- Latency period: The cancer must develop after a sufficient amount of time has passed to allow for the induction of a radiation-related malignancy, which is generally considered to be five or more years.1