In the last week or so, breast cancer testing is in the news. As women, everything we are told up to now, about catching the disease early is up for debate. Statistically, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. In the United States, we have some of the best medical treatments and technologies available on the planet. The mortality rates for breast cancer have declined drastically. So, is the powers-that-be trying to fix something that is not broken?
Mammograms
Since before most women can remember, it is recommended that women 40 years of age and older get a yearly mammogram, in order to discover any potential tumors. If breast cancer is caught in the early stages, the treatment is likely to be less aggressive, enabling a woman to resume her regular activities much faster, while looking forward to a long and healthy life. For some reason, as we age, the odds of hearing a breast cancer diagnosis increase substantially. Unfortunate, because of the change in recommendations, it is likely that insurance companies will follow suit and not pay for yearly tests. Then, the level of cancer diagnostics in the United States will go down. More women will require very aggressive treatment, and many more ladies will succumb to the disease. My question is: Why? The reason that it will reduce a woman’s level of stress, if she receives a false positive and has to undergo more testing, is not a good enough excuse for lowering the standard for breast cancer diagnosis and early treatment. Personally, it would be better to find a benign lump early than a cancerous lump too late. So, why change a system that is not broken. Self ExamsPersonally, the recommendation that women should forego breast self-exams should have all ladies up in arms. No reasonable excuse can be given for totally ignoring a simply method of discovering many abnormalities in the breast that need to be closely examined. The process only takes a couple of minutes, and it does not cost anybody any money to quickly check for changes that might mean breast cancer. If women get in the habit of doing it every month, on the same day of the month, they are more likely to discover significant changes and go to the doctor. Some women prefer to have their partner check. Either way, many lumps have been discovered at home, due to breast self-exams. While 80% of lumps are cancer-free and nothing to worry about, there are 20% of lumps found at home that require treatment. Even with the odds as low as 20%, why would any woman not want to make sure that a lump is benign, much less quit taking two minutes out of the month, in order to protect their health. Again, it begs the question: Why fix what is not broken. Professional AdviceBreast cancer is no respecter of persons. While most women may be at least 40 years old, teenagers and some women in their 20’s and 30’s have been diagnosed with breast cancer. The lumps are usually found through self examination and regular checkups with the family physician.
If you are uncomfortable about the changes being recommended in breast cancer diagnosis, the best counsel is to seek professional advice. Talk to your trusted family doctor. Be mindful of family history. If other women in your family have had breast cancer, it is extremely vital to follow the doctor’s advice about breast cancer testing, and how often it should be undertaken. Also, for the women on hormone replacement therapy, be aware that your chances of being diagnosed with breast cancer are greater than a woman of your age that does not choose to take hormones. Thus, you doctor will likely recommend more frequent testing. Catch it EarlyOf course, the ultimate decision is up to you. After all, it is your body. But, it seems like only common sense to do what is necessary to catch it early, while there is a chance to eliminate a spot of cancer, before it spreads to other parts of the body. Breast cancer is treatable, and many women have realized a cure. They have gone on to lead happy, health lives cancer-free. But, the odds of a successful outcome to a breast cancer diagnosis go down, the longer the malignancy remains undiscovered.
In short, the news that some agency recommends changes in breast cancer testing has shocked many women in the United States. Many are asking the question: why fix what is not broken? Many are quite concerned that the level of care for women’s health issues will be sacrificed, because insurance companies will follow suit and not pay for regular preventative medical tests. So, if you are in doubt, the best advice is to have a discussion with your personal doctor, and do what is best for you. |
