Reduce cancer risks by supporting care based on science, not special interests

IN the politically charged debate over breast-cancer screening, many may have missed a fact that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) considered: Sometimes diagnostic procedures cause cancers they were meant to detect.

Now we hear more evidence that tests intended to find cancer may actually cause it. On Monday, the Archives of Internal Medicine published research showing that radiation doses from common CT scans are higher than generally believed, often increasing cancer risks. One study estimated that about 29,000 future cancers could be related to CT scans in the United States in 2007 alone.

While radiologic testing has increased dramatically in recent years, its safety worries are not new. Concerns about radiation-induced cancer from X-rays contributed to the establishment of the U.S. task force in 1984. Lawmakers appointed this independent group of experts to review evidence and recommend guidelines to protect Americans. Read More...