I am really concerned by this story. I hate the fact that scientists are now essentially putting in our heads that we may not need mammos. What if….women take this advise to heart and forgo having one, only to find out down the road they do indeed have cancer? Ugh! It’s so confusing in terms of how to be proactive when it comes to breast cancer.

This is an article that only reenforces a woman’s decision not to have a mammogram because of fear or for whatever reason she believes. Too bad.

I have long suspected that so much of our super early detection of many things interrupts the normal way our bodies work fighting off cancer cells which probably come and go many times in our lives. I don’t know what the answer is, you don’t want people to not have tests, but this information needs to be taken seriously.

Usually I try to be proactive in this area of early detection, but my own experience has taught me otherwise. In 1992 I had a lumpectomy due to a lump I had had for 6yrs. I was told it was cancerous but encapsilated. For 10yrs I endured have a mammogram once a year. Then said to heck with it. When I discovered other lumps, I told my doctor I was going to adopt a wait and see attitude. If they started to enlarge or hurt, then we could do something. He wanted me to have a double mastectomy right away. I said no. The thing is they went away. They were exactly the same as the first lump and they stayed some for a few months others for a few years. We are going on 6yrs now and I still do not have any more lumps and since I am not having my breasts squeezed flat by a machine they are no longer irritated all the time. I do still preform a self exam twice a month, but have not had anymore problems. I should note that the mammogram never detected any masses or lumps as mine always were on the side (near my arm) or at the top of the breast where the machine doesn’t reach. My approach is not for everyone, but it does explain why some of us prefer not to have the procedure.

I had a woman in my nutrition class go on a rant about the dangers of mammograms…something about how exposing tissue to so much radiation, that closely, actually helps FARM breast cancer (for those who don’t have it and aren’t really at risk), not diagnose it. Of course, it does diagnose it…eventually…because all the mammograms contributed to its growth (allegedly). This is only a theory, possibly even of the conspiracy nature. Especially since she also went on another rant about how we are getting too much estrogen in our bodies due to high volumes of soy (naturally high in plant estrogens called phytoestrogrens) that we are consuming, unknowingly too because they put soy in EVERYTHING now - making that even worse news for vegs like me who love tofu and soymilk. Anyway, the high estrogen levels in our diet is being blamed for the increasing rates of ovarian and breast cancer (and yes, let it be known that, for young women who are not pre-menopausal, soy does NOT prevent cancer; it can CAUSE it)…soy-induced estrogen imbalances are even being blamed for the effemination of males, but that’s debatable. Again, it was only a theory….until I had it confirmed by my boss’s father, who is an oncological surgeon. SOY IS BAD BAD BAD if you exceed moderate amounts. I also learned that other woman going on those conspiracy theory rants…works AT A CANCER RESEARCH INSTITUTE. And then, another person - this time a PROFESSOR - went on a similar rant about the dangers of mammography. So…I suggest everyone do their own research to draw their own conclusions. But I wouldn’t be surprised if the medical industry is intentionally perpetuating cancer for profit, considering how FUBAR it’s become. Oh, and by the way? As of last week, my doctor begged me to cut soy milk out of my diet to see if that’s been the culprit of my recent health problems. We thought it was a thyroid problem. Well my thyroid turned out normal. He STILL SWORE up and down that it was hormonal, because all the symptoms fit hormone/thyroid imbalance to a tee. I reluctantly asked, “What if I told you that I consume large amounts of soy in my diet?” HE TOOK THAT AND RAN WITH IT. Soy is not good for you. So I wouldn’t be surprised if mammograms aren’t either. (And that’s NOT to invalidate any of you who have had to endure traumatic experiences with breast cancer - if you truly believe mammograms are what saved your life or the lives of your loved one(s), then I will believe you. But to suggest that ALL healthy women WITHOUT any susceptibility to cancer should STILL get them REGULARLY…seems fishy to me.)

My personal experience with mammograms has been hell so haven’t gotten one in 3+ years. 1st: I had one when my aunt was dying and there was a tiny lump they said needed to come out, but the needle localization machine was broken so had to wait 2 weeks, worried, then had the localization and into the OR to have removed. Said it would take 45M max….in there from 10AM to 4PM, cutting, not finding it, sending various small slices to pathology, sewing me up, walking down hall for another localization, back more cutting w/o enough anesthetic….etc. 2nd: A large lump showed…they did a needle aspiration and it was fine, just a cyst. 3rd: At Stanford Medical Center they do the mammograms in the new cancer center so you are seeing people in horrible condition that scares the beejesus out of you. Got the mammogram and 4-5 radiologist etc came out afterwards with worried faces and had me get so many more from every possible angle that thought all that radiation was scary…then they had me get a ultrasound….then schedule surgery and more x-rays. It was the first day of school so talked dr into a local so could leave afterwards. The surgeon did a terrible job so a scar….but am not going to become a stripper anytime soon so—whatever—and the scar gets a little blue in cold weather so could be a weather lady with a storm predicting breast. Now am just afraid of them….it hurts…it’s awful. Will drink wheat grass and take my chances.

I have to have a repeat mammogram with ultrasound Dec. 3 to double-check something that popped up in the most recent one. Now, what if they find something? Will I be glad when they can do a procedure and get it removed with a lumpectomy? They found a small ca. in my sister years ago on an annual routine mammogram. I have at least a dozen friends and acquaintences that have had various positive results with the annual mammogram. There are false positive results, to be sure, but for any of us who have had to see the horror that breast cancer patients have to endure, if we can catch it early, all the better. As for cancers disappearing, that has been observed for years. It is called watchful waiting. So, as for me, I advocate regular exams, regular mammograms and regular bloodwork.

Are you all familiar with Inflammatory Breast Cancer? It doesn’t manifest itself as a lump, necessarily and is very agressive. So…you’d best become familiar with this awful disease: http://www.nci.nih.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/sites-types/IBC

The scope of this study doesn’t give us the numbers we need to make an informed decision on mammos. It says lumps found in the once-screened-in-6-yrs women were 22 % lower than lumps found in the thrice-screened-in 6 yrs women—-(with both groups having “similar risk factors”) OK, so there were less lumps found with less frequent mammos….it’s possible lumps can go away on their own sometimes——or, it’s possible mammos themselves cause cancerous lumps. We don’t know which it is because they didn’t follow that aspect for us. I can certainly see why they didn’t! Because following ALL the lumps to see what percentage were malignant & what percentage in each group were benign—-would have proven whether or not mammos actually DO cause cancer! THAT’s the story they avoided by not including these variables in the study. We can’t judge the value of getting a mammo without more info. The health care industry, specifically the mammogram industry, I’m sure will NOT tolerate a scientific project that puts them out of business. I, too, read somewhere that we might be getting a dangerous amount of radiation that actually CAUSES some cancers, just by getting the mammo. I have to say it—because it’s how I think & who I am—this is only ONE reason why we need to take the profit motive OUT of health care altogether in this country! No company should get rich off our illnesses & no one should be denied health care because they have a “pre-existing condition”. People need health care to live, in the same way they need air, water, & food to live. It’s not right that most of the modern world has had this right to be cared for with no worries & WE don’t! . Single payer health care run by the govt is what we need—-other modern countries, like Europe, have had this for a long time & do not have to worry about how to pay for a doctor nor go bankrupt paying dr bills from an illness. It is quality care too & there is still choice. It’s not “socialism” any more than social security or Medicare are socialism. The people making a ton of money off our suffering like to spread that idea around to scare people & keep their pockets full at our expense.

On the lighter side, I hate getting a mammo. It hurts & it’s humiliating being squashed in there. I always want to know where the lever or knob that releases the plates is at & how to work it—-in case there’s a fire or mad shooter on site & everybody runs & leaves me trapped in there—-my t__ in the proverbial wringer! Mammogram techs think I’m hilarious when I ask & maybe they have a point. But I had a nightmare about it once. I’m always thinking about the possibilities—it’s not easy being me.