| If you read that medical x-rays were responsible | | | | effects of ionizing radiation on health, the latest |
| for half the incidence of cancer in this country - | | | | being Radiation from Medical Procedures in the |
| what would your reaction be? | | | | Pathogenesis of Cancer and Ischemic Heart |
| I suspect it would be based to a great extent on | | | | Disease. In this 700-page tome, Dr. Gofman |
| where you read it. If it was a banner headline on | | | | presents study after study that point to medical |
| the National Enquirer, you would probably ignore it. | | | | x-rays not only playing a major role in causing |
| But if you saw it on the front cover of the New | | | | 50% of cases of cancer - but also in causing |
| York Times, you would pay more attention. | | | | 60% of the cases of coronary heart disease |
| No matter where you read it, your reaction would | | | | (CHD). The probable mechanism, Dr. Gofman |
| be the one of disbelief. | | | | explains, is radiation-induction of mutations in the |
| Why? Because you probably believe that | | | | coronary arteries, resulting in dysfunctional clones |
| contemporary medicine is based on thoroughly | | | | (mini-tumors) of smooth muscle cells. |
| tested science? | | | | Dr. Gofman is quick to point out that, first of all, |
| Do you believe that if medical x-rays were a | | | | he is not against medical x-rays - only their use at |
| major cause of cancer, this would have been | | | | needlessly high dose levels. And second, that |
| discovered early on, and never allowed to | | | | x-rays are not by themselves the only cause of |
| happen? If so, do you have any evidence for | | | | these diseases, but are a necessary co-actor. |
| such a belief - or is it reflective only of faith in the | | | | What this means is that medical x-rays are not |
| medical profession? | | | | solely responsible for our epidemic of cancer and |
| X-rays have been a valuable medical tool since | | | | CHD, but that when combined with other factors, |
| their discovery in 1895. But for over 70 years | | | | they can and do cause the onset of these |
| we've known that x-rays cause genetic mutations | | | | diseases. Reduce the amount of exposure to |
| and cancer. | | | | medical x-rays and the incidence of cancer and |
| The belief that medical x-rays are not a major | | | | CHD is proportionally reduced. |
| cause of cancer is based on three basic | | | | Dr. Gofman shows how x-ray dosages can easily |
| assumptions: | | | | on average be reduced by 50% from present |
| - First, that risk from minimal doses of radiation is | | | | levels. He points out procedures as simple and |
| just hypothetical. | | | | inexpensive as taking frequent dose |
| - Second, that doctors and technicians administer | | | | measurements. Proper training for technicians is |
| the minimum dose. | | | | essential. Radiographers need to compensate for |
| - Third, that repeated x-ray exposures are not | | | | the age and size of patients. And specialists need |
| cumulative in their effect. | | | | to be aware of how much previous exposure |
| Search, and you will find overwhelming evidence | | | | their patients have had, and be judicious in |
| that none of these are true. But you need to | | | | ordering only necessary imaging. |
| know where to look and you have to look at the | | | | Physicians also need to be aware of diagnostic |
| raw data without bias. | | | | imaging devices that do not use ionizing radiation - |
| The evidence is occasionally published in | | | | such as MRIs for neurological and musculo-skeletal |
| peer-reviewed, mainstream medical journals. But | | | | conditions, and thermography for breast screening |
| all too often, it is published only in the more | | | | - and able to detect cancer years earlier than |
| obscure journals read by only a few thousand | | | | mammography. If Dr. Gofman's hypothesis is |
| specialists. And, because of the threatening nature | | | | right, making these prudent steps the rule rather |
| of the data to our current medical system, the | | | | than the exception would save at least 250,000 |
| findings are rarely covered in larger media outlets. | | | | lives per year. |
| For example, a paper was recently published | | | | Although a few radiologists have taken exception |
| entitled "Breast Cancer Mortality After Diagnostic | | | | to Dr. Gofman's work, none have refuted it in any |
| Radiography." | | | | way. Why, then, are these simple, life-saving |
| It showed the results of a study sponsored by | | | | measures not embraced by the entire medical |
| the National Cancer Institute that examined the | | | | community? Why is this story not on the front |
| correlation of breast cancer mortality with | | | | page of every newspaper in America? |
| receiving diagnostic x-ray exposure for scoliosis | | | | Two hundred and fifty million x-rays will be |
| [curvature of the spine]. These women, who had | | | | performed in the United States this year. At a |
| an average of 25 diagnostic x-rays taken, had a | | | | conservative average cost of $50 per x-ray, that |
| 70% greater risk of dying of breast cancer than | | | | is an industry with annual sales of $12.5 billion. |
| the general population. | | | | Diagnostic x-ray imaging is a cornerstone of much |
| One of the paper's key conclusions was: | | | | of mainstream medicine. Nothing that weakens |
| "Consistent with radiation as a causative factor, | | | | the public's perception of the value and safety of |
| risk of dying of breast cancer increased | | | | x-rays is likely to be publicized. |
| significantly with number of radiographic | | | | Those radiologists who have criticized Dr. |
| examinations in which the breast was exposed | | | | Gofman's work have criticized it on the basis that |
| and with increasing cumulative radiation dose to | | | | it might scare patients away from having any |
| the breast." | | | | x-rays at all, when they might very well benefit |
| So much for assumption number three. But the | | | | from the procedure. This brings up a very serious |
| chances are that your doctor - or your oncologist | | | | issue of a patient's right to know. Says Dr. |
| or radiologist - has not seen this report, because it | | | | Gofman, "We doubt that x-ray practitioners would |
| was published in Spine. Spine has a worldwide | | | | want to assert that x-rays are the one agent, in |
| circulation of less than 8,000, consisting primarily | | | | all of medicine, where referring physicians and |
| of physical and medical rehabilitation specialists. | | | | patients must be told about only the benefits, and |
| The FDA estimates that seven out of 10 | | | | must be kept uninformed about dosage and risk." |
| Americans received at least one x-ray last year. | | | | There is a revolution going on in medicine right |
| How many did you and your family members | | | | now. It is the growth of what we call alternative |
| receive? How many have you received over your | | | | medicine - a movement typified by the absolute |
| lifetime? What was their dosage? Do you know? | | | | minimization of toxic medical modalities. This is |
| Do your doctors know? | | | | being driven not by the efforts of healthcare |
| The person who probably knows as much about | | | | professionals but by the market demands of |
| the effects of radiation as anyone in the world is | | | | patients, who are becoming better informed and |
| John Gofman, M.D., Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of | | | | no longer blindly accepting unnecessary and |
| Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of | | | | unacceptable "risk-benefit" ratios. Dr. Gofman has |
| California at Berkeley, and on the faculty of the | | | | information to help the public not only protect |
| University of California Medical School in San | | | | itself but to help get the x-ray industry to clean |
| Francisco (UCSF). | | | | house, through patient right-to-know policies. |
| Dr. Gofman has published six books on the | | | | |