Physiology: Scoliosis & Breast Cancer

Females in general ar more prone to bone disease than men, and studies show that an alarmingly high per centumage of women diagnosed with scoliosis be contracting mammilla malignant neoplastic disease "Breast pubic louse deaths among women with scoliosis are 41% higher than the U.S. matter average" (Skelly, 2000, 1).

What accounts for this deleterious link between scoliosis and breast cancer fatalities? Many experts argue in favor of the accepted name of spinal X-rays endured by scoliosis patients. Many of these breast cancer fatalities were prove among women who had repeated radiographs taken of their spinal curvature during the 1960s to monitor the progress of their scoliosis. In the 1960s, X-ray doses were higher than they are today, raze though modern studies on the association between repeated radiographs and cancer show an dramatically increased risk "For girls, scoliosis X-rays fee-tail radiation moving-picture show at regular intervals during one of the al most(prenominal) sensitive times of their lives. Several studies done in the US have indicated female scoliosis patients have an increased risk of breast cancer later in life. One 1979 study suggested a girl who received an average of 22 diagnostic X-rays during her manipulation increased her breast cancer risk 110 percent" (MacDonald, 1994, 2).

The problem with scoliosis is that it demands routine X-rays which remain the only way of monitor the progress of the disease. This is especially dang

Aitcheson, C. (Feb. 1, 1996). head with scoliosis. Vol. 220. Cosmopolitan. (116-117) 1-4.

Skelly, A. (July 19, 2000). New lingerie can save lives. Vol. 36. Medical Post. 1-2.

Scoliosis interposition Recovery System (STRS). (July 28, 2000). Available at: http://www.google.com, 1.

Dr. niminy-piminy Do is a radiologist in New York City. She became affright at the high rate of breast cancer deaths among women with scoliosis. Her investigating and research proved that the answer could be found in the inadequate protection of the breasts during repeated radiography.

Do was angry that most radiologists were not even turning the patient around so her back was toward the beam in order to decrease the exposure of the breasts to radiation. Particularly alarmed by the fact that scoliosis affects many youth females for whom there seemed even less adequate protective measures, Do decided to create a new protection riddle or "brassiere" that was adjustable, form-fitting, and easily contoured to the patient. Her solution was the Lead Bra, a concept her colleagues found amusing until the tests were in and showed that the lead bra "Successfully shielded the breast tissue without obscuring the spine. No repeat radiographs were necessary, and patients found it comfortable and the technicians had no problems fitting it" (Skelly, 2000, 2).

Once a diagnosis of scoliosis is made, there is no way around X-rays. However, improvements in radiology techniques, lower dose X-rays, new protective "bras" and new(prenominal) measures have brought the risk of breast cancer down to beneath 1 percent (MacDonald, 1994, 2). The problem with these new improvements is that most of them are not routinely used in radiology d
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