X-Rays And CT Scans May Increase Testicular Cancer Risk

BOSTON (CBS) - There has been a rise in the rate of testicular cancer over the years and now doctors are sounding the alarm that imaging tests could be putting men at higher risk.

Radiation can promote cancer by causing damage to DNA. In this study, researchers at Penn Medicine surveyed more than 1,200 men and found that having at least three X-rays or CT scans below the waist was associated with a 59 percent higher risk of developing testicular cancer.

They say more research is needed, but efforts should be made to reduce radiation exposure in men by avoiding unnecessary scans, reducing radiation doses, and shielding the groin area when possible.