CT Scans and Cancer Deaths

Seems to me that the cancer news recently has been rather bleak--can't we take a break from the bad news for Christmas? 

But I couldn't ignore this one, since I get several CT scans a year. The headline says, "CT Scans Can Cause Cancer Deaths."

According to the story, CT scans have more than 100 times the radiation dose of conventional X-rays, which I also try to avoid. This results in 15,000 excess cancer deaths in one year--deaths attributed to cancers caused by the CT radiation. 

Now, this is frightening. I'd like to know how to add up all the exposure I've gotten during my years of cancer treatment. But then again, what would I do with that information? I needed these scans in order to keep track of what my cancer is doing. And I needed the radiation therapy to kill various tumors. 

I will discuss the issue with Dr. Lee next time I see him, however. 

Read the story: CT Scans Can Cause Cancer Deaths

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

Comments

[Nat]

I know what you mean. I am in the same boat. I get scans every three months or so. I need them to see what the cancer is doing, as you say, but it is terrifying to think what those scans are doing to me. :( An awful catch-22 (my favorite book, but not my favorite situation).
I look forward to hearing what your doctor has to say about it.

[amy]

I hate this news. Marshall gets CTs instead of PETS to AVOID the extra radiation. Still, catching early recurrence is his only chance and beating it -- last time it was Stage 4 by the time we caught it. I know it'll catch up but I thought CTs were not as bad.