BreastGain | Breast Actives

As with chemotherapy, sure forms of aesculapian radiation can take to an increased risk of cancer. The benefits of using these types of aesculapian radiation, nevertheless, mostly far surpass the risks associated with them.

Radiation Therapy: Radiation therapy uses high-energy ionizing radiation to destroy cancer cells and treat or control cancer. Radiation therapy’s cancer-causing potential was recognized many years ago. In fact, much of our knowledge about ionizing radiation has come from studying the survivors of the atomic bombs and their radiation in Japan, from workers’ occupational exposure to radiation, and from patients treated with radiation therapy for malignant and nonmalignant disease. Despite being relatively rare, the development of a second cancer is more common among those who receive radiation therapy than those who do not.

It’s a fine balance. You have to weigh the risk against the medical benefit. If you have a cancer and you’re going to be treated with radiation, you should be concerned about the venturing of developing a second cancer, but not to the extent that you turn down possible treatment. On the other hand, you should certainly discuss the treatment options fully with your doctor.

Most cased of leukemia related to radiation exposure develop within a few years of exposure, peaking at five to nine years then slowly declining. Most other forms of cancer do not occur until ten years after radiation exposure, and some cancers are diagnosed even fifteen or more years later. Radiation-related leukemia risk depends on a number of factors, such as the made of radiation received, the percentage of bone marrow exposed to radiation, and whether the patient was also treated with chemotherapy.

Studies of radiation-associated breast cancer have found the greatest risk in women who were irradiated as children and adolescents for early conditions. (The most common reason for adolescents to have chest radiation is Hodgkin’s disease, a type of lymphoma.) Oncologists (doctors specialize in cancer treatment) know about the increased risk of breast cancer in these women and generally recommend that they have vigilant lifetime screening for breast cancer. However, most studies of individuals with Hodgkin’s disease have found no increased breast cancer venture among women who receive radiation at 30 years and older.

X-rays and Mammography: Many people are concerned about their exposure to x-rays. X-rays (including mammograms, x-rays of the breast) use doses of radiation that are many times lower than those used in radiation therapy. As with radiation therapy, analyzed in the past have shown that there appears to be some risk in receiving many x-ray examinations, particularly for children who have multiple x-rays. The level of radiation in modern x-rays is practically lower than that used even 25 years ago and poses much less of a risk. While it’s a good idea to minimize repeat exposures whenever possible, especially in children, it’s important not to avoid necessary x-rays.

CT Scans: Computed tomography (CT) scans use larger doses of radiation than those found in conventional x-rays. Again, concern has been raised over the possibility of an increase cancer risk in children who receive multiple CT scans. Ways to lower radiation dosed without conciliatory medical value are encouraged.

Another possible source of exposure to radiation are whole-body CT scans, which some people are now requesting as part of a regular health checkup as a way to screen for cancer and other diseases. Many groups, including the PDA, have expressed concern over this practice because there is little evidence of its usefulness, and it exposes people to unnecessary radiation. Sometimes CT scans are available in shopping malls. They are advertising for salubrious people to come in and get overall-body scans. This is unnecessary and inappropriate.

However, whole-body CT scans do have their place. They tin save the lives of accident victims who need quick evaluation to determine if they have a burst spleen or punctured lung. They are also effective in diagnosing some chronic conditions.

If you do any research on the Internet, there are plenty of articles that are dated from 2007 that question the pros/cons of mammograms. And now as of November, 2009, a government task force has come out to say that women should not get a mammogram until they are 50. Doesn’t this make you wonder what the real truth is?! So many “integrative doctors” have been saying for a long time that mammograms are not recommended because the exposure of radiation can be 1,000 times greater than a chest x-ray. That alone makes women vulnerable to unnecessary risks of radiation-induced cancer. In addition, mammograms are usually very painful because of the breasts being compressed. This in turn can lead to a lethal spread of any existing malignant cells. Too many times, my wife has come home in tears from the pain caused by mammograms. She has not had a mammogram in several years and now refuses to ever get another one. There really is NO solid evidence that mammograms save lives. Research has shown that adding an annual mammogram to a regular thorough physical checkup of the breasts does NOT improve the survival rates of breast cancer over getting the examination by itself. Every woman should conduct their own research before agreeing to a mammogram. There are new tests called “thermal imaging” or thermography. This is a test that creates a digital map of your body that illustrates heat patterns. The patterns may detect some condition or abnormality. It uses a scanning-type infrared camera that measures the body surface temperature, presenting the information as a digitized image. The thermograms are analyzed for abnormalities that may be signs of disease in your body. Thermograms provide: *Reliable and accurate information for diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis *Exact and objective data from accurate measurements of thermal information *Substantial financial savings over conventional investigations The difference between the thermograms and mammograms is listed below: *Mammograms – show anatomical changes in the breast, detecting masses or lumps in the breast tissue. *Thermograms look at vascular changes in the breast, detecting blood flow patterns, inflammation and asymmetries. All women can benefit from thermograms. It has been shown to be particularly useful for young women who want to monitor their breast health before the recommended age of 40. Every woman should be given the pros and cons and allow them to make their own informative decision.

Howard has a keen interest in alternative and integrative health methods. His research has revealed that a person’s eating habits and lifestyle can have a dramatic affect on their health. Howard has extensive background in video production and has conducted numerous video interviews with professionals in the alternative health field.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/women’s-health-articles/mammograms-risks-and-what-they-dont-tell-you-1480648.html