Abstract
To study the prevalence of avascular necrosis in patients receiving chemotherapy for testicular cancer we invited 103 consecutive patients treated by chemotherapy to attend for MRI scan of the hips. Four of 47 (9% (CI 2–20%)) patients scanned and 4/103 (3.8% (CI 1–10%)) of patients invited to participate in the study had evidence of avascular necrosis. As not all patients in the study had completed the at risk period this equates to a 3-year actuarial risk of 6.3% (95% confidence limits (CI) 2.4–16.1). These data suggest that avascular necrosis is an uncommon but significant complication of chemotherapy including steroids as anti-emetics. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer.com
Keywords: testicular cancer, avascular necrosis, chemotherapy steroids
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Footnotes
AM Cook, current address: Staffordshire Centre, North Staffordshire NHS Trust, Royal Infirmary, Princess Road, Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST4 7LN, UK
AR Padhani, current address: Mount Vernon Hospital, Rickmansworth Road, Northwood, Middlesex HA6 RN, UK
Selected References
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