[ RadSafe ] CT radiation INHIBITS cancer

[HOWARD.LONG at comcast.net]

Dear Dr. Dachs, 



Ionizing radiation - up to 10 CTs/year -  INHIBITS cancer. 



You write in "Cancer Risks Associated with CT Scanning" American Family Physician,  81,2,1/15/10, 111-114, that Brenner, (Computer Tomography - An Increasing Source Of Radiation Exposure, NEJM 2007,;357,22),  

"-is one of the most important -- but most frightening -- articles I've read -- "  




Be reassured.  Benefit from radiation works like allergy shots and all vaccines - small doses stimulate body defenses by ~10 orders of magnitude!  Feinendigan (your ref.) and Pollycove (of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission) showed this in mice. 



 In humans, only 32 breast cancers appeared in bomb survivors with 1 to 10 rad exposure (=1-10 CTs) where 42.3 were expected. Breast cancer was also much less in Nova Scotia TB patients receiving fluoroscopy equivalent to ~20CTs than with more or less radiation. Hormesis. 



Evidence is voluminous and undeniable (except to BEIR swallowers drunk on grant money) that up to 10 rad/year inhibits cancer.  I believe that third party payers scare you and hurt patients.  I accept no third party payment and promote Health Savings Accounts (self-managed high-deductible insurance) 



Please forward this to AFP with your comment. Thank you. 



Howard Long MD MPH Family Doctor and Epidemiologist, 

VP, Doctors for Disaster Preparedness, 

7 year particpant in radsafe chat box of health physicists.