Radiation triggers breast cancer

[CLTann]

In today's local paper, there is a report on an European study concluding that for some cancer vulnerable women, even a small dosage, such as x-ray of chest, could trigger breast cancer. I am wondering how many of us were the victims of routine x ray procedure.

I have been a strong advocate of staying away from radiation and chemo, as much as possible. Medical profession has been too quick to order procedures that are inherently detrimental to health. There are too many cases we have seen, even in this room, that the unfortunate results were directly caused by the purposely designed procedures.

Oncs routinely put women in the chemo regimen even knowing that their PR/ER status would not favorably react to the chemo treatment. Patients are led to believe that the harder the procedure the better would be the outcome. We should know that it is not often correct.

Ann

[DeborahNC]

Ann, Do you have a link to that article? I'd like to read it. I've had myriad x-rays during my 53 years and remember how freaked out I became when I first heard what radiation does to the body as it passes through.

[CLTann]

Perhaps it is just as easy for me to copy the short article, from July 4 Charlotte Observer, page 8E:

Chest X-rays may hike resk of breast cancer. by Carolyn Susman, Cox News Service.

An analysis of 1,600 women with breast cancer gene mutations suggests that exposure to chest x-rays increase the risk of breast cancer, and that exposure before the age of 20 may be linked to particularly heightened risk.

The research, conducted by a consortium of European cancer center, was the first to analyze the impact of low-level x-ray exposure among women at genetically high risk for the disease. The study was published online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

"This is one of the first studies to demonstrate that women genetically predisposed to breast cancer may be more susceptible to low-dose ionizing radiation than other women." said David Goldgar, a lead author of the study. "if confirmed in prospective studies, young women who are members of families known to have BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations may wish to consider alternatives to x-ray, such as MRI." Goldgar said.

--end of article--

Ann

[AlaskaAngel]

I'm not sure whether to post on this string or on the one where Lani pointed out that the article about increased risk refers to BRCA 1 and 2's, but I do feel that the article may still be relevant to a number of us HER2's even though there are very few HER2's who test positive for BRCA 1 or 2.

With a recent study indicating that testing for BRCA 1 and 2 in the USA may not be finding a significant number of those who actually do have other types of BRCA mutations (including BRCA or other mutations that are still not clearly identified), it still seems quite possible to me that HER2's could still possibly be more vulnerable to such rads exposure as regular mammograms.

A.A.

[Chelee]

Ann, I have wondered about this too? Since I have congential scoliosis. (Curvature of the spine.) I was followed by x-rays throughout my entire childhood. I hated it. I was getting x-rayed ever 3 to 6 months from five years old and on. It wasn't until I was 15 years old I told my Mom I refused to do this anymore. I was fed up with it.

I have always worried about all this exposure to x-rays. I have had some doctors over the years tell me I had nothing to worry about...and others that said differently. I have no cancer in my family on either side. So my first thought when I had it was ALL the x-rays. I had so many x-rays its not funny.

Then I was on the Susan Komen site a week or so back and she had a video up that was all about childern that had alot of exposure to x-rays for things like *scoliosis*. If its on her site...there has to be something to it.

It might NOT be why I have bc...but it sure makes me wonder since it was my upper body/chest area that had more x-rays then I could possible ever count.

Chelee

[StephN]

Here is yet another clue maybe as to why I have BC and with virtually NONE of the usual risk factors.

When I was 18 my college roommate got walking pneumonia and I contracted it from her. This did not go away for about a year. I was having a lot of chest x-rays during that time to make sure I was not going into full blown pneumonia when I would get an attack of bronchitis.
I was susceptible to bronchitis for many years and had chest x-rays a couple more times for that.

Plus I started having mammograms when I was in my late 30's on a regular basis.

Because I had dense breast tissue, my GP ordered them. Which now they say is NOT the thing to do.