CRoss-sectional study assessing long term carotid Artery Stenosis in Head and neck cancer patients receiving radiotherapy to neck. (CRASH Study)

Patients of head and neck cancers receive radiotherapy as part of their treatment and radiation therapy can sometimes lead to a narrowing or thickening of the carotid arteries, a condition called carotid artery stenosis i.e. Narrowing of carotid artery leads to decreased blood supply to the brain and development of stroke. The risk of carotid artery stenosis increases with higher radiation doses, older age, smoking, and other health conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes. However, the condition may not cause symptoms in its early stages and remain asymptomatic in most patients. The risk of carotid artery increases as year passes by after radiotherapy. The overall risk of carotid artery stenosis is around 26%. There is no definitive guideline as to whether to evaluate this risk or not and when to do it, its impact on the survival of patients. Hence in this study, we aim to assess the rate and extent of carotid artery stenosis using a non-invasive method called USG Doppler. This study aimed to explore the effects of radiation treatment on the carotid arteries in patients who have been treated for head and neck cancer. The carotid arteries are the major blood vessels that supply blood to the brain, and damage to these arteries can lead to serious health problems, like stroke. By examining patients who have received radiation for head and neck cancer, this study sought to understand how common this narrowing of the arteries is, how severe it can get, and which factors may influence its development. The research involved analyzing the medical records and conducting tests to measure the degree of narrowing in the carotid arteries in a group of patients. The findings of this study could help doctors identify head and neck cancer patients who are at higher risk for carotid artery stenosis, enabling earlier detection and better management of this potential complication.