Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Therapeutic Whole-Brain Radiation Treatment Causes Memory Problems and Cognitive Decline




Yesterday I found an interesting article in the WSJ that demonstrates that ionizing radiation causes memory problems and cognitive decline.

Indeed, the study described in the article concluded that entire-brain radiation should only be reserved for patients who are unresponsive to other treatment, including the standard one-dose radio-surgery using a gamma knife.

Patients who underwent both the standard one-dose radio surgery AND entire brain radiation suffered significant neurological problems and died, on average, 3 months earlier than patients who received the one-dose gamma surgery alone.

This finding reinforces the existence of significant neurological dangers from ionizing radiation.

Winslow, Ron (2015, June 1). Cancer radiation questioned. The Wall Street Journal, p. A3.

[Excerpt] “Using whole-brain radiation to treat cancer that has spread to the brain is a treatment that for many patients is worse than the disease, a new study suggests. Researchers said the technique, when used after a more precise radiotherapy to kill the cancer, resulted in additional memory loss and other cognitive deficits than treating with radiotherapy alone”
Whole-brain radiation is typically administered in 10-20 minute treatments given over two weeks while radiosurgery, in which radiation is delivered in a powerful, focused beam with instruments known by such names as gammaknife, is a single day…”

Majia here: The new report was described as “the most comprehensive study that lets us quantify the risk/benefit.”

Our brains are extraordinarily vulnerable organs. We are frying with radiation our future.

 

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