The Importance of Early Detection
- American rapper and actor Ice-T is urging his fans to get checkups and spreading awareness on the importance of early detection.
- The 65-year-old “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” star recently underwent a CT (computed tomography) scan out of precaution.
- CT scans take a series of x-rays from different angles and combine them into a cross-sectional image.
- While a CT scan may not typically be the standard for cancer screening, research has shown that CT scans may be used to detect colon cancer and lung cancer, and are an important tool in early detection.
The 65-year-old “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” star showed himself recently getting a CT (computed tomography) scan out of precaution. Ice-T, however, didn’t specify what the CT scan was for specifically.
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The father-of three’s health awareness post provided an important message of prioritizing your health. It’s true that keeping up with regular screenings and following the recommended guidelines can help detect cancer and disease early and lead to better outcomes.
So proud of Ice ! It was a great day!! #hollywoodstar pic.twitter.com/RntI54us3e
— Coco (@cocosworld) February 17, 2023
Ice-T’s health advice comes about one month after the rap star was honored with the Hollywood Walk Of Fame’s 2,747th stone.
At the monumental ceremony, Law & Order producer Dick Wolf, praised Ice-T for being the “coolest guy.”
“Ice has appeared in more of my shows than anyone else on Earth. It goes back now 25 years,” Wolf said, according to Louder. “I’m now gonna show how old I am by saying, ‘Ice is the coolest guy I have ever met,’ and I’ve said that to him. I don’t know what the term for it is, ‘the bomb’? I don’t know.”
“He is universally liked by his compatriots and I assume the same is true of the music world,” he continued.
Meanwhile, it appears Ice-T has maintained an awareness of his health throughout the years as last year he partnered with Cheerios in support of heart health.
He told Parade at the time, “You know, you start out early in life thinking you’re invincible and stuff and then you walk into your 40s and health starts to become—when some of your friends pass away early just neglecting their bodies.”
“Now the people in power love hip-hop and I’m on a Cheerios box.”
-Ice T (@FINALLEVEL) on how much has changed over the years. #FallonTonight pic.twitter.com/nmnFlD0kD4
— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) April 22, 2022
CT Scans & Cancer
Although Ice-T did not go into detail on what the CT scan was checking for, it’s important to be aware of what a CT scan is and how it can assist doctors in finding cancer or things like a tumor’s shape and size. It’s important to note that a CT scan is typically not the standard procedure done when screening for cancer, and insurance therefore may not cover it like other screening methods. However, there are specific circumstances in which your doctor may order a CT scan.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) describes a CT (computed tomography) scan as “an imaging procedure that uses special x-ray equipment to create detailed pictures, or scans, of areas inside the body,” which is “sometimes called computerized tomography or computerized axial tomography (CAT).”
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The noninvasive procedure—which does not cause any pain, but could be uncomfortable for any who is claustrophobic—involved the patients lying still on a table as the table moves slowly through a large donut-shaped x-ray machine.
“With some types of CT scanners, the table stays still and the machine moves around the person. The person might hear whirring sounds during the procedure. At times during a CT procedure, the person may be asked to hold their breath to prevent blurring of the images,” the NCI explains.
“Sometimes, CT involves the use of a contrast (imaging) agent, or dye. The dye may be given by mouth, injected into a vein, given by enema, or given in all three ways before the procedure,” the NCI continues. “The contrast dye highlights specific areas inside the body, resulting in clearer pictures. Iodine and barium are two dyes commonly used in CT.”
CT scans can be used in cancer in the following ways:
- To screen for cancer
- To help diagnose the presence of a tumor
- To provide information about the stage of a cancer
- To determine exactly where to perform a biopsy procedure
- To guide certain local treatments, such as cryotherapy, radiofrequency ablation, and the implantation of radioactive seeds
- To help plan external-beam radiation therapy or surgery
- To determine whether a cancer is responding to treatment
- To detect the recurrence of a tumor
Studies have shown that CT scans can be used to detect colon cancer and lung cancer, and are an important tool in early detection.
When screening for colon cancer, a CT colonography can be used to check for large colorectal polyps and colorectal tumors.
“Whether CT colonography can help reduce the death rate from colorectal cancer is not yet known, and most insurance companies (and Medicare) do not currently reimburse the costs of this procedure,” according to the NCI. “Also, because CT colonography can produce images of organs and tissues outside the colon, it is possible that noncolorectal abnormalities may be found. Some of these “extracolonic” findings will be serious, but many will not be, leading to unnecessary additional tests and surgeries.”
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As for screening for lung cancer, the NCI notes, “The NCI-sponsored National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) showed that people aged 55 to 74 years with a history of heavy smoking are 20% less likely to die from lung cancer if they are screened with low-dose helical CT than if they are screened with standard chest x-rays.”
“Those who have never smoked tobacco products are considered to be at too low a risk of lung cancer to benefit from lung cancer screening,” the institute adds.
Getting Help With Medical Bills & Unpaid Debt
Ice-T’s post prompted dozens of his fans to comment on how costly CT scans and routine testing can be, with one Instagram user writing, “Unfortunately my health insurance would not pay for this heart scan. I could only get the treadmill stress test.”
“Great message but if only I could afford an optional CT scan,” another fan commented.
In a follow-up post on Twitter, Ice-T acknowledged the responses he’s received and said he was hoping to encourage others to take ownership of their health.
Medical debt is something most cancer patients struggle with., but there are resources that you can utilize.
SurvivorNet put together this guide to help you get the resources you need to pay the bills and keep them from going to collections. (Luckily, your credit score will no longer be impacted as of last year.)
Paying for Cancer — Find Someone Who Will Advocate for You
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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