|
Worksheet
Step 1: What is your estimated dose of I-131 from the Nevada
tests?
To get your estimated dose of I-131 in rad, find the row on the left that
includes your year of birth. Then find the column that best describes the kind
and amount of milk you drank between 1951 and 1963.
What Is Your Estimated I-131 Dose?
| Year of birth |
Doses in rad by amount and type of milk
|
|
No milk
|
Processed milk
|
Farm cow
|
Farm goat
|
| 0 cups/day |
1-3 cups/day |
4+ cups/day |
Any amount |
Any amount |
| Before 1933 |
Less than 1 |
2 |
4 |
6 |
30 |
| 1933-1937 |
Less than 1 |
3 |
6 |
9 |
45 |
| 1938-1942 |
Less than 1 |
5 |
10 |
15 |
75 |
| 1943-1947 |
Less than 1 |
7 |
14 |
21 |
105 |
| 1948-1957 |
Less than 1 |
10 |
20 |
30 |
150 |
| 1958-1963 |
Less than 1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
15 |
| After 1963 |
Less than 1 |
Less than 1 |
Less than 1 |
Less than 1 |
Less than 1 |
Your estimated dose of I-131 in rad: ________
(For more precise estimates of dose, including effect of where you lived, see
the individual dose calculator at ntsi131.nci.nih.gov.)
Step 2: What is your likely risk of thyroid cancer?
Circle the number that best shows your chance of eventually developing thyroid
cancer. The first graphic is for men. The second is for women. Statistics are
for people who are 50 years old and cancer-free.
Men
Women
Step 3: How important is each of the pros and cons of screening
to you?
Pros
-
800 to 960 people out of 1,000 are correctly reassured that they don't have
cancer
-
1 to 6 people out of 1,000 will have cancers found and treated early
Cons
-
40 to 200 people out of 1,000 will have false alarms causing anxiety, tests,
and surgery when they don't have cancer
-
Early detection may not increase the chance of cure
Your priorities
Looking at the pros and cons given here, shade the diamonds below to show how
important the following are to you (5 diamonds means very important; 0 diamonds
means not important at all):
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Knowing whether or not you have cancer |
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Avoiding anxiety caused either by false alarms or by knowledge that cancer is
present; avoiding unneeded tests that may result from false alarms |
If you shaded more diamonds in the first row, you are leaning toward being
screened (continue to step 4). If you shaded more diamonds in the second row,
you are leaning toward not being screened (go to step 5).
Step 4: Which of the two screening methods is best for you?
Ultrasound
-
More cancers found and treated early (4-6 people out of 1,000)
-
More false alarms (150-200 people out of 1,000)
Neck examination
-
Fewer cancers found and treated early (1-3 people out of 1,000)
-
Fewer false alarms (40-80 people out of 1,000)
Your priorities
Looking at the information about ultrasound and neck exam given here, shade the
number of diamonds below to show how important the following are to you (5
diamonds means very important; 0 diamonds means not important at all):
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Early detection |
| <> <> <> <> <> |
Avoiding false alarms |
If you shaded more diamonds in the first row, you are leaning toward ultrasound.
If you shaded more diamonds in the second row, you are leaning toward neck
examination.
Step 5: What questions do you have before deciding?
Step 6: Discuss your decision-making with your doctor.
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