“Fear of radiation” is frightening

Should Cancer Survivors Fear Radiation-Induced Sarcomas?

Purpose/Results. Ionizing radiation is carcinogenic and the induction of a second malignancy is a serious potential long-term complication of radiotherapy. The incidence of radiation-induced sarcomas was evaluated from many large epidemiological surveys of long-term cancer survivors reported in the literature over the past 30 years and only one case was found for every 1000 patients irradiated....

General Anxiety and Dental Fear: Is There A Relationship?

Introduction: Anxiety is an emotional state that helps healthy people defend themselves against threats. Dental anxiety is referred to a patient's specific response to stressful dental practices. The prevalence of dental anxiety is estimated to be between 3-43%. The relation between dental caries and dental anxiety is well understood, which happen as the result...

Radiation hormesis--a remedy for fear.

Personal reflections on radiation hormesis for the past 50 years are presented. The causes of ignoring and rejections of this phenomenon by international and national bodies and by radiation protection establishment are analyzed. The opposition against nuclear weapons and preparations for nuclear war was probably the main factor in inducing the concern for adverse effects of low doses of ionizi...

Fear of the unknown: ionizing radiation exposure during pregnancy.

Ionizing radiation during pregnancy can negatively impact a fetus. In light of the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster in Japan, we discuss existing knowledge on the health effects of radiation and preventive measures for pregnant women. Overall, the risk of exposure to radiation is limited but severe defects can result from fetal radiation exposure >100 mGy equivalent to 10 rad (>1000 chest x-ray...

'The only thing we have to fear is fear itself'.