Yesterday's post introduced a front-page NYTimes story about the risks of receiving the wrong amount of radiation when undergoing treatment for cancer.
I remember the fear I experienced years ago when undergoing mini-mantle radiation. If I were undergoing radiation therapy now, I imagine I would be upset by the story. In the spirit of Healthy Survivorship, this is what I would tell myself:
- Most patients are helped, not harmed. I am far more likely to be helped than harmed. (repeat X 10)
- This news does not change the fact that radiation therapy gives me my best chance of survival and the decision made with my physicians to proceed. Not getting needed treatment poses a far greater risk to my health.
- I am being treated at a well-respected and accredited cancer center.
- I will not hesitate to speak up if anything doesn't seem right over the course of my treatments.
- I'm glad the article came out, because an existing problem is exposed. Standards and oversight will improve, making radiation even safer than it is now.
- Most patients are helped, not harmed. I am far more likely to be helped than harmed. (repeat X 10)
Tomorrow I'll discuss what Healthy Survivors can do if too anxious for these mantras to help.
"I'm glad the article came out, because an existing problem is exposed. Standards and oversight will improve, making radiation even safer than it is now."
I love this one. Recently I have witnessed such backlash in the cancer community to new scientific research that shows certain screenings and treatments might not be as effective as we thought and potentially harmful.
I get just how scary this is. But the response should not be to damn the data, but rather to embrace it as progress. After all, this is why we walk the walks, ride the bikes - to raise $ for scientific research. If the results are scary, jarring, a shift to our way of thinking, it just means we as patients have even more uncertainty to live with. Not comfortable by any means, but we need to be careful to not push away scientific progress out of our own justifiable fears.
Smart post Wendy.
Kairol
Posted by: Kairol Rosenthal | January 29, 2010 at 08:58 AM
Radiation has the power to heal and the power to harm. I have written about this issue in two of my blogs.
RADIATION SYMPTOMS http://j.mp/1X6dvi
Breast Thermography Detects Cancer Early http://j.mp/2q0FRY
Posted by: Debby | January 31, 2010 at 01:34 AM