Mammograms carry health risks, both to the body and mind, that may outweigh the benefits for many women. And, increasingly, due to high-resolution mammograms, DCIS, or ductal carcinoma in situ, is being detected on breast cancer screening tests. But the Thermography as a screening test for breast canceris a non-invasive alternative that we should take a look at.
DCIS, mastectomies and mammograms
Screening tests have led to a great deal of overdiagnosis and overtreatment, a fact supported by Dr. Laura Esserman, a surgeon specializing in breast cancer.
In an article published in October 2015 in JAMA Oncology, Dr. Esserman says that DCIS accounts for approximately 20% to 25% of breast cancers detected by screening tests. However, long-term epidemiological studies have shown that the removal of 50,000 to 60,000 DCIS lesions per year has not been accompanied by a reduction in the incidence of invasive breast cancers.
The detection rate of DCIS in 1973 it was 3.8%. In the United States alone, the increased detection rate for DCIS between 1983-1993 was 314 percent. And, among women ages 40 to 49, that rate was 339 percent, largely thanks to the widespread use of mammography.
A large study of more than 51,000 women found that the number of women who decided to have both breasts removed (double mastectomy) after being diagnosed with DCIS in one breast tripled between 1998 and 2005. In 1998, 4.1% of women had a prophylactic mastectomy in the breast without DCIS. In 2005, 13.5% underwent prophylactic mastectomy.
The problem is that women have been trained to be so afraid of breast cancer that they often willingly sacrifice their breasts to ease their anxiety.
For these reasons, it’s not surprising that the number of women undergoing “just in case” prophylactic mastectomies has skyrocketed. Contralateral prophylactic mastectomy rates tripled between 2002 and 2012, although studies have shown that removal of healthy breasts does not improve survival.
5 things to consider before getting a mammogram
Here are 5 things to consider before getting your mammogram:
- It results in overdiagnosis and overtreatment.
- It does not reduce the mortality rate.
- It exposes to high levels of radiation.
- It can cause increased anxiety.
- Mammograms are not prevention.
There are tried and true ways to maintain breast health and manage it as well.
Why Thermography is a better breast screening option
Thermography is a form of thermal imaging (infrared), and it works like this:
It is widely recognized that cancers, even in their early stages, need nutrients to maintain or accelerate their growth. To facilitate this process, blood vessels are made to remain open, dormant blood vessels are activated, and new ones are formed through a process known as neoangiogenesis.
This vascular process causes an increase in surface temperature in the affected regions, which can be visualized with infrared imaging cameras. Also, newly formed or activated blood vessels have a distinct appearance, which thermography can detect.
Remember, heat is an indication of inflammation, and inflammation is usually present in precancerous and cancerous cells as well. It is also present in torn muscles and ligaments, as well as arthritic joints, which thermography can also detect.
Accuracy and early detection of breast cancer
The most promising of thermography it is its appearance ability to detect abnormalities years before the mammogram.
Since thermal imaging detects changes at the cellular level, studies suggest that this test can detect activity eight to 10 years earlier than any other test.
This makes it unique in that it gives us the opportunity to see the changes before the actual tumor formation. Studies have shown that by the time a tumor has grown large enough to be detected by physical examination or mammography, it has in fact been growing for about seven years, achieving more than twenty-five doublings of the malignant cell colony.
At 90 days there are two cells, at one year there are 16 cells and at five years there are 1,048,576 cells, an amount that cannot yet be detected on a mammogram. (At age 8, there are nearly 4 billion cells.)
The precision and thermography reliability is also remarkable. In the 1970s and 1980s, a great deal of research on thermography was carried out. In 1981, Michel Gautherie, Ph.D., and colleagues reported on a 10-year study, which found that an abnormal thermogram was 10 times more significant as an indicator of future breast cancer risk than having a history of breast cancer in the past. your family.
With thermography as your regular cancer screening tool, you may have the opportunity to make adjustments to your diet, beliefs, and lifestyle to transform your cells before they turn cancerous. That speaks about true prevention.
Clearer results, less additional tests
In November 2009, the United States Preventive Services Task Force He said he recommended that women start regular mammograms at age 50 instead of 40, and that mammograms are only needed every two years instead of annually between ages 50 and 74. The Task Force concluded that the risk of additional and unnecessary testing far outweighed the benefits of annual mammograms.
unnecessary mammograms
Even before 2009, when the US Preventive Task Force changed its recommendation that women start mammograms at age 50 (not 40) and get them every two years instead of annually, Danish researchers Ole Olsen concluded. and Peter Gotzsche, after analyzing data from seven studies that mammograms often led to unnecessary treatment and were linked to a 20 percent increase in mastectomies, many of which were unnecessary.
If you’ve ever had an unnecessary biopsy or been spooked by a false-positive mammogram, consider the possibility of doing a thermography. You can always use it in conjunction with the mammogram to determine your treatment options.
6 reasons why breast thermography is recommended
In addition to early detection and accurate test results, here are other reasons thermography is beneficial:
- Good for implants and young, dense breasts. Younger breasts tend to be denser. Thermography does not identify fibrocystic tissue, breast implants, or scars that need further investigation.
- Detects cell changes in the armpit area. The underarm area is an area that mammography is not always good at detecting.
- Great extra test. Thermography can be used as an additional test to help women and their care teams make more informed treatment decisions.
- It does not hurt. The pressure of a mammogram is the equivalent of putting a 50 pound weight on your breast, which can be quite painful for most women.
- No radiation. Another reason why the United States Preventive Services Task Force reversed her aggressive mammography guidelines was radiation exposure. It is well known that excessive doses of radiation can increase your risk of cancer.
- Thermography is very safe. Thermography is even safe for pregnant and lactating women. It is simply an image of your body heat.
Thermography is a better technology For all the reasons already outlined, however, make sure the thermography facility of your choice is backed by qualified, board-certified physicians who are specifically trained in the interpretation of these images. And make sure the doctor is available to explain and discuss any findings. Finally, make sure the images are “statistically” or flagged for future comparison.
A thermogram can tell you how healthy your breasts are, rather than just screening them for cancer. When done correctly, it also has the potential to actually detect breast cell abnormalities long before mammography can detect cancer. This allows you to proactively implement lifestyle changes that can improve the health of your breasts.