DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE

 

PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ® BETHESDA 14, MD.

 

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

September 23, 1957

Dear John:

This is in answer to your inquiry relative to the possibility
that your friend might profitably seek radiation therapy for the
clearing up of a chronic sinus condition.

Radiation has been used in the past for such a purpose but not
with uniform success, At the present time there is no ability to dis-
tinguish those who will benefit from those who will not. The best
advice I can give, on the basis of fairly extensive discussions, is to
hold this form of therapy as a last resort. If the chronic sinus con-
dition is truly disabling and if a variety of therapeutic approaches
have been completely without success then I would recommend that he
seek competent advice from a therapeutic radiationist.

Radiation as such is not without hazard, Apart from building
up the exposure of an individual, it produces a certain amount of
tissue change that is not desirable,

At the present time there is no research activity of a systen-
atic nature going on in this field, that I know of. The very fact
that such therapy has not been systematically studied is in part due
to the highly variable results which have been experienced by radi-
ationists in the past.

I am sorry I cannot be of more definitive help to you.
Sincerely yours,
*
Someones
James A, Shannon, M. D.
Director

Hon, John E, Fogarty
House of Representatives
Washington 25, D. C.