Radiation and Ischemic Heart Disease

[tobagotwo]

Located an interesting monograph about a recent book that happens to align with some of my own, less scientific, observational thinking: http://www.ratical.org/radiation/CNR/RMP/introF.html

Basically, this book, Radiation from Medical Procedures in the Pathogenesis of Cancer and Ischemic Heart Disease: Dose-Response Studies with Physicians per 100,000 Population. John W. Gofman, M.D., Ph.D. 1999. 699 pages. LCCN 99-045096. Hardcover: ISBN 0-932682-97-9. Softcover: ISBN 0-932682-98-7. Committee for Nuclear Responsibility Books, San Francisco. points researches into the role of medical radiation in the creation of disease states. It isn't suggesting that medical radiation is the sole cause of these issues, but that it is a required coagent in causing them.

Along with the marginally acknowledged role medical radiation plays in cancers, the research also approaches other issues, and most notably, shows a very high correlation between medical radiation (as a cofactor) and fatal atherosclerosis. This isn't a great mental leap for those of us who are aware of people with aortic valves destroyed by radiation treatment for non-Hodgkins lymphoma. If it can affect an immensely tough valve in this way, why would it not easily affect the cardiac arteries as well, helping to cause some of the lesions that develop into atheromas?

I haven't gotten the gumption to buy the book yet (700 pages: dry, tough read), but its conclusions make sense to me.

Best wishes,

 

[Lynlw]

long and odd. and mostly OT

long and odd. and mostly OT

You know this reminds me of something I kept meaning to ask my Mom about, but since she passed, I guess I won't find out. I was born 1960, with this weird, rough, itchy birthmark on my thigh and a couple smaller ones. When I was a baby -toddler, I was always going to the Derm and they tried all kinds of treatments and nothing ever worked, it would come back. I actually was an exhibit at a world derm convention held in Philly in the early 60s and docs from all over the world, would give their ideas and They tried everything (the reason they kept trying to get rid of it, was it was very itchy so I would scratch it and rip it open every night when I was sleeping. Anyway one of the few treatments I remember, was some form of radiation/xrays. I have no idea how many I had, but there were quite a few. I remeber it because I had to lay on a table and they coverred all of me that didn't have the birthmark, with really cold lead plates and would put some kind of material over my face. I remember my Mom watching thru the window of the door.
I keep thinking I should know what they did, how strong, how long ect and if it effected me, (Like maybe that why I'm hypothyroid? ect) So the end of the story is when I was 3 they cauterized and burned off the birthmark, but when it healed it was back, so they started shooting steroids into the scar tissue and THAT was the first treatment I cried with so my Mom put an end to it and I still have it. it is interesting that when I was born the big one was about the size of a quarter, but as I grew it grew too and is bigger, but still takes up the same percentage of my thigh. About 15 years ago I was curious so when to a derm and had it biopsied, but they still don't know what it is....

ps.Hey, funny I was just searching the derms name and the first link took me to a paper that I think is about ME, I can't read the full article (yet) but maybe will be able to get answers.

 

[Marcia58]

Interesting, Bob....

When I had my heart cath before my OHS, they said my coronary vessel were clear except for one little blockage. I was still sedated, but they asked my husband if I'd had radiation treatment as a child, because the blockage was consistent with those seen in patients who'd had childhood radiation. (I hadn't.) Recently, though, it came to my attention that my mom worked a clerical job in a hospital x-ray department when she was pregnant with me. I wonder....

Marcia

P.S. Apparently, though, UCMC is aware of the radiation/heart disease connection.