EASY WAY #4
Know About Mammograms; Know Safer Alternatives
Although screening mammograms have been promoted as a safe and helpful procedure since they were first introduced into the United States in 1983, more and more clinical studies indicate that the effectiveness of screening mammography is inconclusive at best.
One recent study indicated that an annual screening mammogram is not as helpful as having a screening mammogram every four to six years, since many small tumors found by annual mammography may go away on their own.
Other recent studies show that most women diagnosed with estrogen-negative breast cancers find these fast -growing tumors themselves, either with their partners, during breast massage, or in the shower, rather than through screening mammograms.
Additional studies in past years continue to show that mammograms can actually cause or increase the risk of developing invasive breast cancer, especially in younger women born with the mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene.
The economics of mammography in the U.S.
Screening mammography is a multi-billion-dollar a year industry in the United States. Mammography clinics are one of the leading sources of revenue for most non-profit and for-profit hospitals and for private/doctor-owned mammography or “breast health" clinics. Many mammography clinics have recently purchased expensive digital mammography equipment that must now be paid for by ongoing revenues.
Since 2003, the United States has been the only country in the world that recommends all premenopausal women, 40 and over, to have screening mammograms and for all postmenopausal women 50 and over to have annual mammograms.
The 2009 mammography guidelines issued by the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force follow the European and Canadian models. This evidence-based task force report advises women not to have a mammogram until she reaches 50. The U.S. Guidelines also encourage those over 50 to have a screening mammogram only every few years.
From an economics perspective, these guidelines could decrease mammography revenues by as much as 50% to 60% in one year. This loss of hundreds of millions of dollars by medical centers and by radiologists may be one reason why these two groups are the loudest critics of the Task Force’s 2009 research-based recommendations.
Should you have a mammogram?
Women need to read the research on the negative and positive aspects of screening mammography. Women also need to consider the safer alternatives to mammography and make their own decisions about how often or if they should have this invasive test.
Alternatives to Mammograms
1. Thermography (computerized regulation thermography (CRT) & thermal imaging thermography)
Both types of thermography, computerized regulation (CRT) and thermal imaging are safe and effective clinical procedures, used extensively in Europe, that can help identify inflammation of the breast tissue, and/or the existence of any breast tumors.
CRT evaluates your body functions by a direct temperature measurement probe, while the thermal imaging procedure traces heat patterns in your breasts using digital infrared imaging.
Cancer cells multiply much more rapidly than healthy cells, causing heat; a hot area in the breast can therefore indicate pre tumor activity, also known as inflammation. A hotter spot in the breast can often identify actual tumor formation.
For more information on CRT or European Thermography: http://www.keytohealthclinic.com/crt.php; and http://altmedangel.com/crt.htm
For more information on digital infrared imaging thermography: http://www.breastthermography.com/commonly_asked_questions.htm
To find European whole body thermography practitioners ( also called CRT practitioners) Google: computerized regulation thermography or visit:
Massachusetts http://www.naturalbell.com/
Vermont http://www.sojourns.org/
California http://www.fortifyhealth.com/bio.html
Oregon http://www.keytohealthclinic.com/index.php
To find thermal imaging practitioners, visit: www.thermologyonline.org
Enjoy Daily Breast Self-Exams
The research shows that women or their partners find most invasive breast cancer tumors themselves.
No matter what a woman’s decision around screening mammograms, you should enjoy gentle breast massage by yourself and/or by your partner on a daily or weekly basis. Breast massage is the best way to know the physical terrain of your breasts, along with any changes in your breasts as they happen. Breast massage also stimulates lymph fluids which help cleanse breast tissue.
Also see:
Vitamin D Therapy
Recent research now shows that most women who keep their vitamin D3 levels at 60-80 ng/ml can literally stop breast cancer tumors from happening
Dr Cedric Garland of the Moores Cancer Center at the University of California-San Diego, predicts that screening mammography will no longer be needed once women are able to keep their Vitamin D3 level at 60-80 ng/ml. Watch this video about why screening mammograms may soon become history. (5 min)Mammogram Articles
U.S. Preventative Service Task Force: Screening for Breast Cancer — Dec 2009. Advises most women under 50 to not have screening mammograms; Also advises most women over 50 to only have a screening mammogram every few years.
Mammograms Bad for Young Women with Breast Cancer Genes? — by Jeffrey Norris, University of California, San Francisco, March 17 2009.
This tiny population of young women (under 35), who carry the BRCA gene may be harmed by having mammograms.
Breast Screening:The facts—or Maybe Not — BMJ (British Medical Journal), January 27, 2009
Doctors find that women are still not getting correct information about the harms of screening.
Study suggests some cancers may go away — Gina Kolata, The New York Times, Nov. 24, 2008
According to a study of Norwegian women published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, a screening mammogram every six years is safer that having an annual mammograms.