“Can you develop lung cancer from working in nuclear medicine?”

No. There is no increased incidence of cancer or lymphoma in nuclear medicine technologists or physicians. Years ago when they did not take necessary precautions there was an increased risk associated with radioactive iodine and selenium, and strontium. We have come a long way. There is an increased incidence of lymphoma in hospital pharmacists making up chemotherapy IV solutions. Safety measures have been put in place. Even in patients that we treat with high doses of radioactivity, there is not much incidence of secondary cancers. The opposite is true after radiotherapy which can cause delayed soft tissue sarcomas.