[ RadSafe ] Fwd: Worldwide Thyroid-Cancer Epidemic? The Increasing Impact of Overdiagnosis

[Chris Alston]

Folks

The same can be said about both prostate and breast Ca.  Because of the
great increase in early diagnoses, we are now in the position of having to
decide what needs tx, and/or *when*, and in what form, and what needs only
monitoring.  While obviously a very challenging problem (not least because
most people's first, and continuing, take on a dx of Ca is: "Get that thing
out of me!"), it's a huge step from the days, not so very long ago, when a
dx of prostate Ca meant a death sentence for many men, and, for breast Ca,
too often the same, or anyway severely mutilative surgeries + chemo +
radiotherapy for women.

I suspect that, because of the way our healthcare system works (that is
"functions" or "operates") in the USA, we will not be the leader in
figuring out what to do about it.  Seems like the U.K. is a more likely
candidate.  On the other hand, for instance, some of the crucial trials of
the surgical alternatives to radical mastectomy were in the US.  Took a
helluva lot of guts on the part of both pt and physician.

Cheers
ca
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Brooks, Michael <Michael.Brooks at poole.nhs.uk>
Date: Mon, Aug 22, 2016 at 9:34 AM
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Worldwide Thyroid-Cancer Epidemic? The Increasing
Impact of Overdiagnosis
To: "radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu" <radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu>
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1604412?query=TOC
I can't access the article, but thought it looked interesting for those
that can (given the 'new' cancers found post Fukushima).
Regards,
Mick
Michael Brooks, PhD