We invite you to join in the conversation by leaving a comment below.
Read More:
“Why Doctors Are Rethinking Breast-Cancer Treatment.” Time Magazine, October 1, 2015.
“Our Feel-Good War on Breast Cancer.” Peggy Orenstein. The New York Times, April 25, 2013.
I am more in alignment with thermography, though I have yet to have it done. And I also think being mindful on what we put in our bodies, the cleaning products we use and being aware of all toxins is also important. Taking good care of ourselves, taking time for self-care, having a community are all important factors in wellness. I once attended a 24 hour relay race for cancer and the food served was basically junk food. We need to take responsibility for our health too and keep improving our diets, our emotional and mental health too.
While I do agree that having regular mammograms is a personal decision, I must respectfully disagree with Missy’s comment. My concern is that women who may be “putting off” having mammogram for various reasons may latch on to Missy’s comment and decide not to have one without doing her own research. My opinion is that there are so many cancers and other diseases that we don’t have any screening procedures for, so why not screen for what we can? I have absolutely no history of breast cancer in my family, but started having mammograms at age 40 every year. Three years ago, at age 46, my mammogram came back “abnormal” and I was diagnosed with Stage 1. Fortunately, a fairly new procedure to test the tumor, showed that chemotherapy was not recommended and I only had to do radiation. I’m fairly certain that this “tumor test” was probably the result of breast cancer research dollars. So even though it is not a “cure” it has advanced the treatment options and I was able to work everyday and per my radiation doctor “sail through” my six and a half weeks of treatments! Besides, chemotherapy taking its toll while being administered, there are side effects that can appear years later, so I am so thankful for my course of treatment. It was three years ago this month that I did most of my radiation treatments, and I can’t help but wonder where I’d be right now if at age 40 I decided that my risk of breast cancer wasn’t very high and so I would not bother having mammograms until maybe I was 50? Would I have found the lump yet, what stage would I be in when I was finally diagnosed, would it have metastasized before being diagnosed? The first thought that came to mind when I was diagnosed and didn’t know what stage I was in was my laying in a hosptial bed in my living room and my kids watching me die a slow, painful death. My children are now 18 and 14 years old and I am looking forward to seeing them raise children of their own.
A mammogram saved my life. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. However, the act of sending a mass email to thousands of readers that could potentially dissuade even 1 person with undiagnosed cancer from getting a mammogram is completely irresponsible.
The US preventative services task force is the go to for all cancer screening. It gives a grade B (A is the best evidence) to screening mammography for women ages 50 to 59. For women aged 40 to 49, it gives a grade C (net benefit is small) and it is an individual decision with the woman and her physician. The US preventative services task force also recommends AGAINST teaching women to perform self breast exams, as they often do not do these correctly.
On average, 40,000 women die in the US each year breast cancer. That is 1:31 women. 1:3 women die in this country each year of cardiovascular disease, but no one seems to care as much about that as we do about breasts. It should also be mentioned that October is domestic violence awareness month, and 1:4 women is a victim.
Cancer prevention is a very important topic, especially for those who have suffered from the disease. However, “boobies” seem to take precedence over all the other things that kill us.
Have I, as a 41-year-old woman had a mammogram? Yes. But at my age, I don’t think having a mammogram is going to decrease my likelihood of dying from breast cancer.
I was talking to some people about Missy’s views, with which I disagree, as I have already posted, and these people said, well isn’t this the same as chick-filet (sp) and hobby lobby regarding gay rights? An executive taking the bully pulpit? The answer is no. I will not die eating at chick-filet, or buying paint at hobby lobby but there are women who will die because they did not get their mammogram.
I wasn’t a real proponent of mamograms either. Then I felt something that just wasn’t right. Not a lump, just a “hinky” feeling. If I had not gone and had a mamo right away, They would have never found my tiny 1.8 mil. tumor. Because it was found so early, I did not have chemo, or radiation. I chose to have a double masectomy so I could live without fear of it returning. I think it is every womens choice. But Im glad I chose and had the ability to have early detection.
Shelley Hwang’s (of Duke) research published in the journal of the National Cancer Institute gives more insight into DCIS treatment results. This study should make anyone facing this issue consider her options. As someone once said “Not all doctors got As in med school”. Read the research.
Thank you Missy for speaking your mind.
Missy’s method of distributing her message has upset 100s of us survivors and medical professionals who see the lives mammograms save every day. We vent our anger in the hopes that it will counteract the damage she has done; people who are anti-mammogram respond and call us things like “cranky” or say that she’s “entitled to her opinion” (not understanding that it’s the method and platform that is the biggest problem here). Instead of an intelligent sharing of information and experiences, everybody’s upset and angry. So now, when it comes to one of the biggest health issues women have to face, women are pitted against women – yet another tragedy of this ill-conceived message. And still, silence from Title Nine.
Ladies, if you want to unsubscribe from the Title Nine newsletter, you have to follow the link at the bottom of the email (just takes a second). If you want to remove your name from the catalogue list, call 800-609-0092 – and be sure and tell them why you’re having it removed (they don’t ask).
And to be clear, I am not angry about Missy’s opinion. It IS a complicated issue and warrants healthy discussion. What I am angry about is her using a sales platform to distribute medical information that could, quite literally, mean the difference between life and death. And because her opinion would’ve meant that my own cancer would’ve developed into something much more serious, I feel it’s incumbent on me to do what I can to make sure other women understand the full ramifications of making a similar decision.
well said
I agree completely, Valarie. I respect her personal choice, but to use this platform to discuss this issue is inappropriate at best, and I feel her validating that women NOT get this life-saving procedure is downright dangerous.
I completely agree with your comment. I am research scientist who has studied breast cancer for 10 years. This is a very complex issue that will be resolved with more research and clinical trials – not with anecdotal opinion articles. Even though I understand Missy’s point of view to a certain extent, using a sales platform to provide medical advice to thousands of women is inexcusable. I have always loved Title9 and what they stood for, but using their platform to give medical advice crossed the line and sadly, may cost someone their life.
Extremely well said. Learn to raise issues at an appropriate time when a thoughtful discussion can happen. But using a powerful platform to share an opinion that could have a fatal outcome for many should they choose to follow that course? Absolutely reckless, not to mention thoughtless and self-absorbed. Sadly, truly sadly, I too am done with Title Nine.
@MissyPark
I am a double-mastectomy, Stage 0, DCIS “Thriver”.
A mammogram found my original DCIS. Lucky for me, a huge hematoma and MRI found that the DCIS was multi-focal (10 years ago). Then thanks to another mammogram, there was a pre-cancerous mass that warranted further investigation with an ultra-sound. I ended up with my last mastectomy (14 months ago).
Several doctors that I visited confirmed that DCIS is a precursor to more serious breast cancer diagnosis.
And estrogen positive breast cancer is stopped with drugs that block the bad estrogen.
Are mammograms perfect? No. Are they cost efficient and can they save lives, yes.
Furthermore, Estrogen Positive Breast Cancer must have a drug to stop the estrogen from causing more cancer cells. My sister-in-law died of breast cancer at 31 years, with a baby and children that watched her wither because she did not have the advantage of these types of estrogen blocking drugs.
There are plenty of fundraisers for breast cancer research that do give a majority back to the cause. While Avon is not one of them, Susan G Komen is a good non-profit raising awareness and funds to increase breast cancer research and save lives. And that are just two names of all the non-profits that help fund research and raise awareness.
You cannot lump all dense breasts and negative mammograms in one bucket. I had plenty of negative mammograms and I am healthy because I had my mammograms.
Sending a highly political point of view (and I question your sources), using my email is not appreciated. I will never purchase from Title Nine and will remove myself from your email list.
I certainly hope you don’t regret not having mammograms. I believe your opinion is simple ignorance, and I hope no one listens to you.
Susan G. Komen Foundation gives only approx. 16% of money raised to research. The link below will take you to a very interesting article. The article includes the following:
“In 1991, 119 women in the U.S. died of breast cancer every day. Today, that figure is 110 — a victory no one is bragging about. Breast cancer remains the leading cancer killer among women ages 20 to 59; more than 1.4 million new cases are diagnosed annually worldwide. Roughly 5 percent, or 70,000, breast cancer patients are diagnosed at a late stage, after the cancer has metastasized — that rate hasn’t budged since 1975, despite all the medical advances and awareness campaigns.”
http://margaretfeinberg.com/breast-cancer/#sthash.e2JeHVDR.c993644u.dpuf
This is an interesting statement. And all that you say is true. Most breast cancers are picked up with breast self examination. Every woman should examine her breasts once a month. I get my mammogram every year. I always wonder why as my breast are very dense and the exam is usually not very good. The price has become outrageous. The price for my screening mammogram this year was almost $1000.00. And yes there are a lot of false positives. I do not have the answers, I think as you said a woman needs to decide how she wants to best protect her health.
Live healthy, exercise and eat right are probably the best preventive medicine against most cancers and a long happy life.