Longterm effects of heavy irradiation to the neck

The longterm effects of heavy irradiation to the neck are now well known. The literature contains reports of major skin contractures, hypothyroidism, laryngeal and tracheal stenosis, major vessel stenosis, and hypoplastic development of cervical vertebrae, but very rarely are all these complications seen in a single patient. Two patients have undergone extensive treatment at the Toronto General Hospital during the past decade for complications of neck irradiation in childhood and their stories should serve as yet another reminder that irradiation, although a major ally in oncological therapy when carefully applied, can be a tool of great destruction when used in excess.