Follow-up Study of Patients Treated by X-ray Epilation for Tinea Capitis

Abstract

This study compares the illness experience of 2,043 tinea capitis patients during a 12-year period after x-ray epilation with that of 1,413 nonirradiated tinea capitis patients who were also treated during the years 1940 to 1959 at the Skin and Cancer Unit of the New York University Hospital. The irradiated and control groups, surveyed by questionnaire, represented 85% and 79%, respectively, of the total available clinic population of tinea capitis cases and were well matched for age, sex, and race. The major findings of the study included a higher incidence of confirmed cases of cancer and mental illness in the irradiated group.