Chest CT Risks Please help

Researchgal

I am BRCA1 positive but no breast cancer yet. Recently I had covid and a couple chest xray and a chest CT (which is like 70 xrays at once to my understanding) due to mild pnuemonia which had resolved by the time I had the CT. I didnt look up radiation risks till later and now I'm a little concerned this might have increased my already high cancer risk. I'm 38 btw. Any BRCA1 have similar experience or knowledge of this?

AliceBastable

There are people on these boards who have several CTs a year. I've had about ten in the last three years and mine are nowhere near as frequent as what other people have had. Please try not to worry about one scan.

LivinLife

2 CT scans are not risky. There is a lifetime accumulation set of guidelines for radiation - 2 CT's would be nowhere near that.... You're fine....

Researchgal

This study seems to indicate there could be a problem with the BRCA1 gene more sensitive to radiation....thoughts on that? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3435441/

Anonymous

You may want to ask over at FORCE as those are women with known genetic mutations and looking to be more informed about risks before diagnosis. There are likely to be more women in your position there than here who may have spoken to a medical professional about this.

I found out after diagnosis I was BRCA1 and no one has said anything about risks of radiation. Obviously that ship has sailed way over the horizon and I have to have CTs, but I do still have a healthy breast and they were concerned enough about the BRCA one status to agree to the ovary removal surgery.

Researchgal

Thanks Sondra that is incredibly helpful. Reassuring to know you are BRCA1 and had no problems with the other breast. You did have a chest ct correct and how long ago was it if you dont mind my asking?

Anonymous

I was started with every 3 month CT scans as per usual protocol, but that got pushed out of whack almost immediately due to Covid. Its been about every 4 months in reality since diagnosis and current MO pushed my next scan five months due to strong response, so my last CT was in early May. I have also only had one nuclear bone scan, at diagnosis, where a radioactive tracer is injected into the blood stream. Spinal MRIs are of more use for me (thankfully!) and I have had quite a few. All told I have had six or 7 CT scans in the last two years, 4 of those before BRCA results.

Researchgal

Sondra, thank you so much for sharing your experience. Sorry to ask for clarification only because this study I found had a 2 to 5 year time lag. Your specific body part for the CT was the chest correct, not the head neck etc? Also you stated you had 4 before finding out about BRCA1, how many years before that did you start having them? (If it was more than 5 it definitely questions the validity of this study). Thanks again for your time.

gb2115

Advice from an expert worrier--I would honestly not spend a lot of time or energy worrying about this. Risks of radiation exposure are truly over a lifetime, one scan will not make or break anything.

Hopeful82014

There was a FORCE webinar today in which it was mentioned that BRCA 1/2 carriers did not seem to be anymore vulnerable to radiation damage than the general public.

But really, gb2115 and others are correct; a single CT scan is very unlikely to affect your chances of developing cancer.

Researchgal

Thank you Hopeful, which Webinar is it do you know? The ABCs of cancer genetics?

2019whatayear

Force is having their virtual conference today and tomorrow.One speaker mentioned MRIs should be limited in BRCA1 carriers under 30. There has been some research to suggest that radiation might increase cancer risk.

Anonymous

Researchgal - I started the CT scanning routinely as it is the only way to check if the drugs are working on the cancer at Stage IV. Before this I only had one spine MRI (unrelated issue) 3 years before diagnosis. I should also note that my father is the BRCA carrier and he has been through all sorts of MRIs and CT scans for a LOT of health issues related to his spine and joint problems over the last 35 years and at 72 has never had any sort of cancer dx, although obviously its a bit different for male BRCA carriers who have a slightly higher risk of breast, prostate, and I think pancreatic cancer compared to general population.

My point is that I have a lot of scanning now due to MBC, but even with BRCA positivity the doctors are not worried about the levels of radiation exposure from the scanning on the healthy breast as there are bigger fish to fry - namely the ovarian risk was addressed through surgery and they keep an eye on everything else with the scans themselves.

I think knowing your status and having increased awareness both personally and with medical teams is far more advantageous than worrying about the radiation risks from a single CT scan. IF that radiation does prompt something to go haywire and IF cancer develops then it is far more likely to be caught very early at a highly treatable and curable stage.

Researchgal

Sondra F thank you so much for your input and experience. I am praying for your complete and full recovery.

Hopeful82014

1) MRIs do not involve any radiation - they do, however, involve exposure to gadolinium, which can build up - that topic's under research.

2) Exposure to radiation, especially in childhood, always carries at least a slight risk but it's very dose and age dependent and THAT has nothing to do with mutation status.

3) Sorry, I don't recall which session it was, as I was multi-tasking and dropped in to various sessions throughout the day. If I can figure it out I'll let you know.

4) I was thinking about your radiation question, Researchgal, and it occurred to me that you might want to talk to your genetic counselor about the issue. I'd also keep in mind that if you have a very high risk for breast cancer it's at least possible that you'll probably consider a prophylactic bi-lateral mastectomy sooner or later, in which case that one single CT scan is pretty much a moot point.

I know how easy it is to get dragged down a rabbit hole after learning of a pathogenic mutation but my advice is to focus on the fact that the knowledge enables you to be proactive, rather than stressing over how it might impact risks from relatively ordinary, relatively risk-free activities such as a single CT scan. I'd also advise making a plan for how you're going to deal with it (in concert with your medical team, of course). Then your mind won't be as likely to go to 'what ifs' and second-guessing itself. Life's stressful enough without letting our minds sabotage whatever sense of well-being we might have.