"Go ahead! Live by a nuclear power plant. Live inside one. Totally cool. Get radiated with x-ray all day long. Doesn't matter. How about a nap in a CT scanner? Totally okay, but leave it on so I can be really warm. Perhaps a gadolinium cocktail? I am thirsty for cancer! No? Why not? There's no warnings on it, so it must be ok. My doctor ordered it so it must be okay. No. No, it's not okay. But for some reason, ionizing radiation - X-ray, CT, mammography, fluoroscopy, angiography, radiation therapy - aren't listed as preventable risk factors for cancer according to the CDC."
Cancer is a leading cause of death around the world, and the number of people affected by the disease is rising each year. While cancer is a serious health concern, it is important to recognize that medical tests can actually be responsible for causing cancer in some patients.
It is estimated that an average of 100,000 to 300,000 people are diagnosed with cancer each year due to medical tests, such as radiation therapy, CT scans, and mammograms with approximately 55,000 deaths - greater than breast cancer deaths this year. Did you know? We all should know.
Radiation therapy is a common treatment for cancer, and it uses high-energy X-rays to destroy cancer cells. While this can be an effective treatment, radiation therapy also causes cancer. The risk increases with each additional radiation therapy session, and those who have had multiple treatments are more likely to develop cancer.
CT, SPECT and PET scans are other medical tests that can cause cancer. These scans use X-rays to create detailed images of the body, and they are often used to diagnose and monitor cancer. CT, SPECT and PET scans involve a much higher dose of radiation than regular X-rays, and the risk of developing cancer increases with each additional scan.
Mammograms are also used to diagnose and monitor cancer, and they can also cause cancer in some patients. Mammograms are a type of X-ray that is used to screen for breast cancer, and the radiation from the X-ray can cause cancer in the breast tissue.
Given the number of medical tests that can cause cancer, it is important to understand the risks involved.
According to the CDC, here are the preventable risk factors for cancer:
Preventable Risk Factors and CDC’s Approach
Cigarette Smoking and Secondhand Smoke Exposure
Exposure to Sun and Tanning Beds
Overweight and Obesity
Excessive Alcohol Use
Infectious Disease
What's not on the list? Diagnostic Ionizing Radiation Exposure (DIRE). Tanning beds are UV rays made the cut, but not Gamma rays. DIRE Founder, Karen Nussbaumer, has reached out to Rochelle Walensky, MD - the current CDC Director, and is awaiting comment.
In the mean time, here's some important information about Gamma rays.
Gamma rays and ultraviolet (UV) radiation are two forms of ionizing radiation that can have dangerous effects on living organisms.
Gamma rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation with a very short wavelength and the highest frequency of any electromagnetic radiation. Gamma rays are emitted from the nuclei of radioactive atoms, and can be produced in nuclear explosions or by various particles accelerated in particle accelerators.
UV radiation is also a form of electromagnetic radiation, with a longer wavelength than gamma rays but still shorter than visible light. It is primarily emitted from the Sun, and can reach the Earth’s surface in both scattered and direct forms.
The primary difference between gamma rays and UV radiation is the amount of energy contained in each. Gamma rays are much more powerful and have higher energy levels than UV radiation. This can be hazardous to living organisms, as gamma rays can cause severe damage to the DNA of living cells and can lead to cancer. As gamma rays are so powerful, they cannot be shielded against by the Earth’s atmosphere and need to be blocked with thick lead shielding.
UV radiation, on the other hand, has much lower energy levels, and can be blocked by the Earth’s atmosphere.The risks associated with gamma rays and UV radiation are also quite different.
Gamma rays have a higher risk of causing cancer, as they can cause mutations in the DNA of living cells. They can also damage the immune system, making it harder for the body to fight off infection and disease. The risks associated with UV radiation are primarily skin damage, as UV radiation can cause sunburns, skin cancer, and other forms of skin damage. UV radiation can also cause damage to the eyes, such as cataracts.