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Does Cancer Develop Post Prolonged Exposure To Electromagnetic Radiation?

Posted on Mon, 2 May 2016

Question: hello in my short 21 years of life, i have recieved over 100 xrays on my limbs and back along with three ct scans, is this likely to cause cancer in me? or just a slight risk? is there anything i can do to help my body fight the pre exposure and heal from my past exposure. i was 215 pounds or greater for most of those scans i am now 165 pounds.

Answered by Dr. Swarnava Dattagupta (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Chances of cancer are very unlikely

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for posting your query in Healthcaremagic.com.
This is Dr. Swarnava Dattagupta answering your query.

I understand your concern.
I have gone through your query and would like to help you with some inputs.
Every human being is exposed to natural radiation from various sources around us. But such exposure does not generally lead to cancer.
Also, x-rays and ct-scans carry more exposure than the natural sources, but we are exposed to such rays for a very short period of time if compared to what we are exposed from natural sources. Moreover, x rays of limbs and extremities carry less exposure than thorax or abdomen.
Hence, chance of cancer is negligible from such exposures.
Whereas, for healthcare professionals, it is bit more, because they are regularly exposed to x rays and ct-scans.

So don't worry. You wont get cancer from such exposures.
And you do not need to do anything about it.

Hope I have answered your question.
If you have any further questions I will be happy to help.
Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Sonia Raina

Follow up: Dr. Swarnava Dattagupta (1 hour later)

Thank you, my dr looked in my ear and he found this white spot and has a black center he has no idea what it is. I will upload pics and if you can give me your opinion on it, that would be great. It doesn't hurt but my ear does get red and I can hear an echo when I breathe deeply sometimes.

Answered by Dr. Swarnava Dattagupta (22 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Get clinically checked by an ENT specialist

Detailed Answer:
Hello.
Thank you for writing back.
Ear lesions are not my area of expertise. So it is difficult to give you a definite diagnosis only from the picture you have said. A clinical examination is definitely needed to come to a diagnosis. It can be due to a local infection or trauma most commonly but other causes have to be ruled out. Also the duration of the lesion, any history of injury, any discharge or lymph node swelling etc have to be also checked.
Hence my suggestion will be to consult an ENT specialist and get clinically examined.
You may upload the picture so that I can give my assessment about it.

Hope this helps.
Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Sonia Raina

Follow up: Dr. Swarnava Dattagupta (23 minutes later)

Thank you. I uploaded photos on the report section

Answered by Dr. Swarnava Dattagupta (23 hours later)

Brief Answer:
probably a kyphotic spine

Detailed Answer:
Hello.
From the pictures you have uploaded, it looks like probably a kyphotic spine. It is very difficult to comment from only a single frame, so you can send me your standing AP, lateral views of spine xrays.
And kindly specify your query so that I can help you further.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Swarnava Dattagupta (23 minutes later)

Oops I know I have kyphosis I meant to send ear pics I will upload them

Answered by Dr. Swarnava Dattagupta (8 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Consult an ENT specialist

Detailed Answer:
Hello again.

Yes I have seen your ear pictures previously. It seemed like low grade infection, probably fungal or bacterial. But unfortunately I am not an ear specialist, so I would better ask you to consult and get clinically checked by an ENT specialist.

Hope this helps.
Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Deepak

Follow up: Dr. Swarnava Dattagupta (1 hour later)

Hello thank you for reply. I have a chest ct coming up tommarow. My doctor got concerned because walk in clinc found peribronchial cuffing. He started me on asthma treatment but I have gotten to much better. It's only been about eight days though. I went into two walk in clinics prior to my doctor ordering this ct and they both said a ct would be unessacery for this. My doctor who never saw the x ray orderd the ct. My questions are.

1 with my history is a ct a good idea and justified in this case?
2. Will this ct up my cancer risk by a lot?
One doctor said that ct will raise my chances about 40 percent (I don't believe this?)
Does our body heal from radiation and is there food I can eat to heal from it if I chose to do a ct?

so far in my live ive had roughly 50 mvs of ration exposure due to medical testing.

Answered by Dr. Swarnava Dattagupta (19 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Go ahead with the CT

Detailed Answer:
Hello.
Let me answer your questions one by one.

1. Yes, peribronchial cuffing or thickening should be evaluated further, by a CT scan, preferably high resolution. So, it is justified in this case.
2. Every exposure to radiation theoretically increases risk but that is negligible, and the benefit of this investigation exceeds its risk clearly.

Hence, you should go ahead with CT. And our body defense mechanisms act and protect us from radiation or other hazards as much as possible.
So dont worry so much.
This investigation is needed, so go for it.

Regards.

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Deepak