Aside from breast self-exams, the U.S. medical system stes women get a mammogram every year after age 40. Dr. Mercola strongly disagrees with mammograms. Mammograms carry a first time false positive rate of up to 6 percent. False positives lead to expensive repeat screenings and can result in unnecessary invasive procedures such as biopsies and surgeries. Mammography is a flawed test. It misses 10% of all tumors, and 25% of tumors in women younger than 50. (Breast Cancer Action, http://www.bcaction.org/) Mammograms expose your body to radiation that can be 1,000 times greater than that from a chest x-ray, whose poses risk of cancer. Mammography also compresses your breasts tightly, and often painfully, which could lead to a lethal spread of cancerous cells, should they exist. Mammograms do not prevent cancer, they detect cancer that already exists. Most breast cancers have been present for six to eight years by the time they appear on mammograms.
Dr. Charles Simone, from the National Cancer Institute said, “Mammograms increase the risk for developing breast cancer and raise the risk of spreading or metastasizing an existing growth. Mammography is a form of ionizing radiation. Radation is a known cause of cancer, and the effects of small amounts may accumulate in the body. This does not mean you should never have an e-ray, but rather be thoughtful of your exposure to radiation. The risk of harm from radiation is highest in tissue where cells are rapidly changing, such as the growing breast tissue of adolescent females.
Safe screening methods do exist, this is called Thermography.
You’re not likely to hear about this from your general practitioner. Thermographic breast screening measures the radiation of infrared heat from your body and translates this information into anatomical images. Your normal blood circulation is under the control of your autonomic nervous system, which governs your body functions.
Thermography uses no mechanical pressure or ionizing radiation, and can detect signs of breast cancer years earlier than either mammography or a physical exam.
Mammography cannot detect a tumor unt after it has been growing for years and reaches a certain size. Thermography is able to detect the possibility of breast cancer much earlier, because it can image the early stages of angiogenesis (the formation of a direct supply of blood to cancer cells, which is a necessary step before they can grow into tumors of size).
Thermographs look at vascular changes in the breast, as they detect blood flow patterns, inflammation, and asymmetries.
The first session provides teh baseline of your “thermal signature”. Annual thermograms allow you to map changes in your body’s heat patterns over time. They can alert you to any deviations from your norm.
Thermography can also visualize your pain issue. It can assess pain and pathology in your body. It is a useful procedure to other diagnostic tools, such as x-ray, bone scans, and ultrasound. It is very cost effective and provides you with instant images.
Here is what happens during a thermogram
1. You sit in a temperature-controlled room to allow your body to cool from any external conditions.
2. You’re positioned in front of a Thermal Imaging Camera, and the techniciian takes digital pictures (5-15 minutes). You will be able to see yourself “live” on a computer screen.
3. Your pictures are sent out to a certified physician for analysis
4. You’ll receive a report of your findings and your doctor an determine any next steps.
5. Thermograms are recommended annually.
(Here is some additional info from a great site, www.ravediet.com)
Every year when Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October) comes around I am a saddened and surprised that thermography hasn’t become more popular. Part of this is my mindset. I’d rather focus on breast health and ways to prevent breast cancer at the cellular level than put the emphasis on testing and retesting until you finally do find something to poke, prod, cut out or radiate. That’s why I call October Breast HealthAwareness Month, not Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I understand that mammography has been the gold standard for years. Doctors are the most familiar with this test, and many believe that a mammogram is the best test for detecting breast cancer early. But it’s not. Studies show that a thermogram identifies precancerous or cancerous cells earlier, and produces unambiguous results, which cuts down on additional testing–and it doesn’t hurt the body. Isn’t this what women really want?
It is widely acknowledged that cancers, even in their earliest stages, need nutrients to maintain or accelerate their growth. In order to facilitate this process, blood vessels are caused to remain open, inactive 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 viewed with infrared imaging cameras. Additionally, the newly formed or activated blood vessels have a distinct appearance, which thermography can detect.
Heat is an indication that inflammation exists, and typically inflammation is present in precancerous and cancerous cells, too. (It’s also present in torn muscles and ligaments as well as arthritic joints, which thermography can also detect.)
Thermography’s accuracy and reliability is remarkable, too. In the 1970s and 1980s, a great deal of research was conducted on thermography. In 1981, Michel Gautherie, Ph.D., and his colleagues reported on a 10-year study, which found that an abnormal thermogram was 10 times more significant as a future risk indicator for breast cancer than having a history of breast cancer in your family.[1]
Early Detection
The most promising aspect of thermography is its ability to spot anomalies years before mammography. Using the same data from the 10-year study, researchers H. Spitalier and D. Giruaud determined that thermography alone was the first alarm in 60 percent of the cases of women who were eventually diagnosed with cancer.[2] Dr. Getson adds:
Since thermal imaging detects changes at the cellular level, studies suggest that this test can detect activity 8 to 10 years before any other test. This makes it unique in that it affords us the opportunity to view changes before the actual formation of the tumor. Studies have shown that by the time a tumor has grown to sufficient size to be detectable by physical examination or mammography, it has in fact been growing for about seven years achieving more than 25 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 is still undetectable by a mammogram.
(At 8 years, there are almost 4 billion cells.)
Today, women are encouraged to get a mammogram, so they can find their breast cancer as early as possible. With thermography as your regular screening tool, it’s likely that you would have the opportunity to make adjustments to your diet, beliefs and lifestyle to transform your cells before they became cancerous. Talk about true prevention.
Clearer Results, Fewer Additional Tests
To many, it felt like the world was set on its ear when, in November 2009, the United States Preventative Services Task Force said it recommended that women begin regular mammograms at 50 instead of 40 and that mammograms are needed every two years instead of annually between the ages of 50 and 74. Some women felt this was a way for the insurance companies to save money, but I cheered these new guidelines. (For more information read “
The New Mammography Guidelines” in the Women’s Wisdom Circle on
http://www.drnorthrup.com/.) The Task Force concluded that the risk of additional and unnecessary testing far outweighed the benefits of annual mammograms–and I couldn’t agree more.
Ten years ago, Danish researchers Ole Olsen and Peter Gotzsche concluded, after analyzing data from seven studies, that mammograms often led to needless treatments and were linked to a 20 percent increase in mastectomies, many of which were unnecessary.[3] Dr. Getson expounded, “According to the 1998 Merck Manual, for every case of breast cancer diagnosed each year, 5 to 10 women will undergo a painful breast biopsy. This means that if a woman has an annual mammogram for 10 years, she has a 50 percent chance of having a breast biopsy.”
Thermography is a particularly good choice for younger breasts, which tend to be denser. It doesn’t identify fibrocystic tissue, breast implants or scars as needing further investigation. It’s also good at detecting changes in the cells in the armpit area, an area that mammography isn’t always good at screening. Perhaps even more exciting is that a thermogram can help a woman diagnosed with ductal carconoma in situ (DCIS) decide, along with her health practitioners, whether she requires aggressive or conservative treatment. If you’ve ever had an unnecessary biopsy or been scared by a false positive result on a mammogram, please consider getting a thermogram and using it in conjunction with the mammogram to figure our your treatment options.
It’s Safe.
Thermography is very safe–it’s even safe for pregnant and nursing women! It’s merely an image of the heat of your body.
It’s ironic that the test women are using for prevention may be causing the very problem they’re trying to avoid in the first place! Another reason the United States Preventative Services Task Force reversed its aggressive mammogram guidelines was because of the exposure to radiation. It’s well known that excessive doses of radiation can increase your risk of cancer.[4] And this doesn’t even touch on the harm done to the body from unnecessary biopsies, lumpectomies, mastectomies, chemotherapy, radiation treatment and so forth.
It Doesn’t Hurt
Unlike a mammogram, a thermogram doesn’t hurt! Just about everyone who’s ever had a mammogram has complained about how painful it is. The first time you get a mammogram can be quite a shock. Who knew a breast could be flattened like that? Well, the pain isn’t in your imagination. The pressure that the mammogram machine puts on each breast when it’s being compressed is equivalent to putting a 50-pound weight on your breast.
The Best Test for You
As with anything, I suggest you let your inner guidance help you in all decisions about your health. If you feel it’s best to get an annual mammogram, then by all means continue with them. Just be aware of the drawbacks and risks associated with the test. One helpful way to assess your risk for breast cancer–which in turn can help you decide how often you want to have mammograms–is to use the National Cancer Institute’s
Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool. After you answer seven simple questions, it calculates both your risk of getting invasive breast cancer in the next five years as well as your lifetime risk, and it compares each to the risk for the average U.S. woman of the same age and race or ethnicity.
You would be surprised by how many women tell me their doctors make them feel guilty for not having a mammogram. Women who just know they have healthy breasts. Don’t be intimidated if you prefer to forgo annual mammography.
Thermography is a better technology for all the reasons I’ve already described. Plus it gives results that are unique to you, time after time. But there are some things to be wary of. Dr. Getson explains, “To be sure, not all thermographic equipment is the same, nor is every center backed by qualified, board-certified physicians who are specifically trained in the interpretation of these images.
Dr. Getson says that women (and men) seeking to have infrared imaging should consider the following:
1. What is the “drift factor” in the apparatus? Anything over 0.2 degrees centigrade leads to poor reproducibility.
2. What are the credentials of the interpreting physician?
3. The room in which the study is performed should be free of outside light and the temperature should always be at 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit, with a proper cooling system in place.
4. Make sure the images are marked up (doctors call this “stat”-ed) for future comparison.
5. Ask if the studies are read on site or sent by email to a distant interpreter.
6. Be sure that the physician is available to explain and discuss all findings.
Instead of just screening for breast cancer, a thermogram can tell you how healthy your breasts are. It also has the potential to truly detect breast cell anomalies long before mammography can detect cancer, when done properly. This allows you to implement lifestyle changes that can improve the health of your breasts proactively instead of waiting for a cancer diagnosis later. In honor of Breast Health Awareness month, I encourage you to check out thermography for yourself and your loved ones.
Copyright Christiane Northrup, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
This information is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. All material in this article is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health program.
References:
1. M. Gautherie and C. M. Gros, “Breast Thermography and Cancer Risk Prediction,” Cancer, vol. 45, no. 1 (January 1, 1980), pp. 51-56.
2. H. Spitalier et al., “Does Infrared Thermography Truly Have a Role in Present-Day Breast Cancer Management?” in M. Gautherie and E. Albert, eds., Biomedical Thermology: Proceedings of an International Symposium (New York: A. R. Liss, 1982), pp. 269-78; R. Amalric et al., “Does Infrared Thermography Truly Have a Role in Present-Day Breast Cancer Management?” Progress in Clinical and Biological Research, vol. 107 (1982), pp. 269-78.
3. Gotzsche, P. and Olsen, O., “Is Screening for Breast Cancer with Mammography Justifiable?” The Lancet, vol. 355, no. 9198 (Jan. 8, 2000), pp. 129-34; Gotzsche, P. and Olsen, O., Cochrane Review on Screening for Breast Cancer with Mammography, The Lancet, vol. 358, no. 9290 (Oct. 20, 2001), pp. 1340-42.
4. Semelka, R., Imaging X-rays cause cancer: a call to action for caregivers and patients, Medscape, Feb. 13, 2006, reviewed and renewed Feb. 16, 2007.
After communicating back and forth with Mike Anderson, from the “Healing Cancer from the Inside Out” documentary, I finally found a reputable breast cancer organization to support that’s dedicated to finding a cure, “Breast Cancer Action”. The BCA acts as a watchdog for the breast cancer movement. Their plan goes beyond the notion of “the cure”, and tackles the most pressing issues that must be addressed for real change to happen. The BCA has identified 3 priority areas on which to focus work.
1, Advocate for more effective and less toxic breast cancer treatments by shifting the balance of power in the FDA’s drug approval process away from the pharmaceutical industry and toward the public interest.
2, Decrease involuntary environmental exposures that put people at risk for breast cancer.
3, Create awareness that it is not just genes, but social injustices-political, economic, and racial inequities-that lead to disparities in breast cancer outcomes.
The cancer industry consists of corporations, organizations, and agencies that diminish or mask the extent of the cancer problem fail to protect our health, or divert attention away from the importance of finding the causes of breast cancer and working to prevent disease. This includes drug companies that, in addition to profiting from cancer treatment drugs, sometimes produce toxic chemicals that may be contributing to the high rates of cancer in this country and increasing rates throghout the world.
The BCA does not take money from corporations that profit from breast cancer. They do not take money from corporations that may create a real or apparent conflict of interest for BCA, or whose practices endanger public health or may contribute to cancer incidence. Such corporations are pharmeceutical companies, chemical manufactureres, oil companies, tobacco companies, health insurance organizations, and cancer treatment facilities.
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