Forgot to post about this.
Back in January, during the whole Happy Fun Cancer Dance, part of my treatment included a CT scan. (As friends will remember, it was the worst part of the entire process for me — major claustrophobia attack, as I had to be run through twice (because I’m tall), and so spent more than an hour in a small hole.)
The other day, I was listening to NPR and heard a story (which you can listen to here) about recent studies that show that CT scans *cause* cancer in thousands of people every year, delivering dosages of radiation far in excess of normal x-rays. The NPR story said that a single CT dosed the patient with radiation roughly equal to that received by people who were one mile away from the Nagasaki bombing.
…and I was run through TWICE.
Here’s an AP Story on it, for those who don’t have time for the audio.
Eep! I’ve had a total of six CT scans in my life – and two of them did multiple passes. That is not the kind of news one wants to hear. The things are so darned EXPENSIVE, too!
I wish this country had more preventative/well care affordably available to people, and less causative/side-effect-laden crap.
My uncle has been staying at a fabulous resort in Mexico that has very good doctors (his is from Japan, i think) and uses more advanced, less invasive/damaging treatments for cancer. They’ve managed to remove his prostate cancer, and have him on healing and wellness treatments (including massage and antioxidant-rich foods and herbal remedies not available in the US)to keep him healthy. Apparently, his doctor said the most important thing that people don’t think about is the amount of pesticide they are consuming if they do not buy organic foods.
Apparently, this treatment, though not covered by any US insurance, is less expensive than radiation therapy and standard cancer meds and operations here in the US.
My other uncle with cancer went through radiation treatment to get rid of the cancer and managed to get leukemia from it, Apparently, that can happen (in older people. That uncle is about 80).
oh lovely…that will get a sticky note, right next to the “Tests Show an Increased Risk for Cancer for Graveyard-shift Workers”. Ugh.
At this rate…
“Up next on the news: Being born in the US causes cancer. All infants born in the US are at higher risk, because this country loves it’s chems too much to stop putting them in everything.”