Hearing loss in head/neck cancer patients treated with radiation therapy.

Exposure to radiationIn cancer biology: A cancer treatment in which high energy beams are used to kill cancer cells. Radiation can also cause genetic damage that can lead to cancer. As an example, skin cancer is believed to be greatly increased by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. therapy for head/neck cancers has been associated with a significantly increased risk for hearing loss.  A study that compared 141 patients with 141 people who were not treated for head/neck cancer found that the patients were more likely to have hearing loss.  Those patients who had more radiation had more loss.