Controversal New Advice for Breast Cancer Screening
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(Las Vegas, Nevada)(November 17, 2009)-Meredith Viera interviews NBC New Chief Medical Editor Dr. Nancy Snyderman. While discussing this interview this morning, we watched Dr. Nancy carefully discuss the new Mammogram Screening guidelines, suggested by the Government Task Force. Fight Pink will continue to advocate for Breast Cancer screening for women aged 40-49.
Being a Breast Cancer Survivor and diagnosed at age 42, by a mammogram, founder of Fight Pink, Stacy Martello was surprised by the new guidelines. ”After speaking with my Oncologist following the breaking news last evening, he reminded me that these are only “guidelines.” These Guidelines are now in alignment with guidelines in other countries across the globe, suggesting that women start mammography screening at 50. America should be a leader not a follower for guidelines pertaining to Breast Cancer. Alas with these new findings, it is just not the case.
As founder of the Las Vegas based non-profit organization Fight Pink, Stacy promotes early screening for high risk individuals, women aged 40-49, as well as Breast Self Exams. Stacy says, “It is a case by case basis actually, and your doctor understands that every person won’t fit into the “specific” guidelines recommended.”
“We have to take our lives into our own hands literally, and continue with Breast Self Exams, and be adamant about getting a mammogram if there are changes in the skin or the breast” Stacy says.
There is always an option of paying for a mammogram yourself as well, if your insurance company denies your request for a mammogram. The new guidelines are a drastic step backwards, and mammography is an important tool for women aged 40-49 in their fight against breast cancer. There are also other tools, like ultrasound as well as MRI’s to detect changes in your breasts.
Bottom line: Be Aware, be your own advocate, mammography, ultrasound or MRI can detect early cancers in women aged 40-49, and save lives!
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The new guidelines are supported by many breast cancer advocacy organizations and beyond that- the issues raised in the study which was very sound are real and the benefits to “routine” annual mammography between 40-49 are extraordinarily limited, especially as compared to the downsides across the board.
Furthermore- it DOES bring us in line with the rest of the civilized world. It is a “head in the sand” mentality to suggest that the U.S. knows better on this subject than EVERY OTHER country.
To suggest that “America should be a leader, not a follower” is patently ignorant and absurd when the vast body of scientific data shows that the rest of the world is correct!!!! Such thinking is why we are so far behind in the overall healthcare, infant mortality, life expectancy and the like. We are the ones who need to change our backward ways.
Ron,
Thank you for your comment! WE reserve the right to stay “ignorant and absurd.” Sorry, but you will not change my mind, or the mind of others in our organization in regards to the new guidelines.
It’s not about who is “Correct” or who is right or wrong, it is about saving lives. Bringing us inline with the rest of the civilized world on this issue is basically just “drinking the kool-aid.” While I do understand the risks for mammograms, and that out of 1900 mammograms taken for women aged 40-49, only 1 is diagnosed, that one life is someone’s world.
We understand that the risk for breast cancer occurrence goes up with age, but with the many hormones in our foods, and chemicals we digest everyday, many women who fit into the 40-49 age bracket are indeed being diagnosed with breast cancer. We need to be more aware of what we eat, and how that affects our bodies.
Furthermore, We are not a statistic or scientific data. We are somebody’s mother, somebody’s sister, somebody’s lover. One life saved; that’s a world.
You state/quote that the “benefits to “routine” annual mammogram between 40-49 are extraordinarily limited.” That is absurd and ignorant! I found my breast cancer on a routine screening mammogram at age 42. I am alive today because my doctor suggested I get a mammogram, which I had done every year since turning 40. I have no family history of breast cancer, and none of the usual risk factors. I am not the exception. I am not the only person who has been diagnosed with Breast Cancer under the age of 50.
While I believe that healthcare in this country needs an overhaul, I don’t believe that this guideline will do any good, and will cause harm to women and men across the country, and more women and men will be lost to breast cancer.
Time will tell, and we believe that the Government Task force will change their guidelines in the future.
I am sure you may change your mind if someone you love, wasn’t able to get a mammogram because his/her insurance company is following the new recommended guidelines, and one day he/she wakes up with bone pain and stage 4 metastasized breast cancer.
We are fathers/mothers, brothers/sisters, sons/daughters, husbands/wives, women/men and we are someone’s world, and no matter what age we are, Every Fight Counts™!
Stacy Martello
Ron I do not agree with you comment at all. Early detection is key we are losing to many women in this fight not to have early detection. There are lots of women that are being treated and living cancer free because of early detection!
Disagree heartily with the new guidelines. As a survivor who was diagnosed with stage 3 at age 45, I’d be dead if followed this advice.
The good thing about the new recommendations is that everyone is talking about mammograms. Still, I recommend early screening. I wrote a post about the controversy, “3 Ways to Detect Breast Cancer,” if you want to read more of my view.(http://www.ooopsonline.com/2009/11/3-ways-to-detect-cancer.html.html)
Be well
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