Production and potential implications of secondary neutrons within patients undergoing therapy with hadrons

From experimental nuclear data, existing in the literature, it has been shown that a significant number of secondary neutrons are produced in patients undergoing radiotherapy with hadrons. These large numbers of neutrons, against which no part or organ of the patients can be shielded, have theoretical potential 'to induce new primary cancers and/or cause other detrimental side effects, such as life shortening, malignant cell transformation, chromosome aberration and genetic effects or genome damage'. It is therefore strongly suggested that this matter of secondary neutron production from tissue under irradiation with hadrons and its potential hazards be thoroughly investigated