RIP Stephanie Spielman, Wife of Chris (of OSU/NFL), Mother of Four, SBE Diagnoser at 30 Years Old

EDITOR’S NOTE: This issue is so hot, and this post so emphatic, that we thought you should see it. (Full disclosure: the author is a friend of the editor.)

See – these are the stories that I dread, that other women who are unhappy with the new guideline recommendation about breast cancer screening dread. That, under the new recommendations, a 30 year old woman will either not perform self-breast examinations and therefore have something with which they can go to a doctor and ask for more screening, or that if they ignore the new guidelines (which argue against self-examination) and go ahead and do self exams, that when they then go to their doctors and ask for the screening, the doctor will require some ridiculous threshold before he or she will approve or recommend the screening. And that even then, the woman’s insurance won’t cover it since the guidelines say that it’s imperfect and not recommended for women under 50.

That passivity will be approved and routine. That women will not trust themselves to know their body, that they will not bother because the system does not want to bother – because the system is so concerned about the harm of anxiety and over-biopsying.

I’ve read the guidelines, the reports and the very carefully worded explanations written by women I trust and admire.

But I am trusting my instinct on this and I am telling you – disapproving of self breast-examination and suggesting that women will have to walk in with such a threshold of concern for what they’re feeling about their body absolutely makes me irate at the thought of what a set back this is for women – for humans, for patients – to be in control of their health.

And the utter disregard for the human toll these illnesses take on everyone around the one diagnosed with the breast cancer.

Anxiety sucks. I’ve been there done that for years with shadows on films and MRIs that required additional testing. And while I have a “family history” we don’t have the gene. My Gale score isn’t high enough to get me into most clinical trials.

From the New York Times:

While many women do not think a screening test can be harmful, medical experts say the risks are real. A test can trigger unnecessary further tests, like biopsies, that can create extreme anxiety. And mammograms can find cancers that grow so slowly that they never would be noticed in a woman’s lifetime, resulting in unnecessary treatment.

Over all, the report says, the modest benefit of mammograms — reducing the breast cancer death rate by 15 percent — must be weighed against the harms.

Screening in the 40-49 decade results in a 15% reduction in fatalities?

I’ll take that over reducing the harm of anxiety and overbiopsying any day.

SpiritofColumbushalfmarathon
By Jill Miller Zimon, Writes Like She Talks

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Geraldine D.

3:38PM PST on Nov 26, 2009

Personally I agree with Cindy Symington, having had one mammogram was enough for me and I haven't gone back for another! I do self examination and have my doctor do a check when I have my pap smear done. I would, naturally, support mammograms being available to all women who choose to have it done, but cannot see that squeezing breast tissue till it hurts and having a yearly dose of radiation can be good for my health. I hope that the alternative Thermal Imaging will be introduced in Australia soon, but it all comes down to the $$$$$. The road toll takes precedence here (even though the yearly suicide rate is higher!) because that provides the Government with lots of revenue from speed and red light cameras, health issues and law and order issues aside - no revenue there!

send a green star

P H.

7:23AM PST on Nov 23, 2009

The National Breast Cancer Coalition has shared this position for years. The truth is that in the 40-49 age group mammographies do not make a difference in survival rate.

It has never been the position of the group that women should not have mammography, just that the limitations of mammography should be recognized and as a policy issue the money spent on advocating for mammography could be better spent.

The truth is that the tumors most often detected by mammography are slow growth tumors, it misses the more lethal and fast growing cancers. So when the interval of detection is not looked at, there is no difference in survival between women having a mammography and those who do not

In other words women who had mammographies did not live longer than those who did not. Also women in the 40-49 age group have more dense breast tissue which makes it more difficult for the test to be effective.

In regards to the monthly BSE what the research found is that women most often find lumps during a shower, or their partner locates it, it does not happen during the monthly BSE.

For greater clarification on this issue please visit the National Breast Cancer Coalition's web site.

http://www.stopbreastcancer.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=978&Itemid=179

Sarah D.

7:11PM PST on Nov 22, 2009

"Our bodies get enough radiation these days - and radiation causes cancer - to me it's a no-brainer."

So are you also opposed to getting X-rays for broken limbs or other fractures, scans for other problems with the bodies, dental X-rays?

Do you know what kind of radiation and how much of it causes cancer?

Cindy S.

5:07PM PST on Nov 22, 2009

My post will not be popular , but I'm adamantly opposed to mammograms which I consider completely unnecessary when there is a wonderful and benign option available with Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging (DITI). Catches cancers sooner, no radiation, no compression (which often leads to breast cancer... how ironic). For anyone who would like to know more, here is a site with more information: www.ditiimaging.com
I have zero financial interest in this industry, but I am a faithful user of DITI and have been ever since it came on the scene. Our bodies get enough radiation these days - and radiation causes cancer - to me it's a no-brainer.

William C.

1:36PM PST on Nov 22, 2009

That is such sad news! And it doesn't have to happen this way. WE as humans are responsible for our own health, but we need to be able to choose our own optoins and not let big government decide who what where and when!!!!
I urge every woman ( and man!) to go to this site and educate YOURSELVES! Please check it out:

http://www.neomatrix.com/

ASK your doctor to provide the Halo Breast Test and breast cancer would become history!

I urge you all to do it NOW!

Peace,

William Cote

11:47AM PST on Nov 22, 2009

This shows how much the government task force cares about women.

Susan O.

8:53PM PST on Nov 21, 2009

These PAP smear and Mammogram recommendations are nothing short of genocide. What better way to decimate and destroy a population - - why, by systematically eliminating females of child-bearing age, by "recommending" that those tests are "irrelevant" and "unneccesary" ? WTF?, do these people think that we are really THAT STUPID ???? I give up, really. Between Monsanto GM-ing our food, Boeing chem-trailing us, and now the AMA saying that we don't need PAP smears and mammograms, I'm ready to come out swinging, wearing full body armor and packing an AK47.

5:09PM PST on Nov 21, 2009

As long as we continue to have a health care system based on PROFIT there is no reason for our government/health care providers to keep us healthy. That is a very scarey thought. We are in trouble people. Please help me push for REAL CHANGE!! Our government and big business is currently NOT SET UP TO PROTECT US or on OUR SIDE! Barbara H.

JE L.

1:29PM PST on Nov 21, 2009

Health care in America is so far behind any other first world nations, I just can't believe it. You guys have got to get it together, take to the streets, do whatever you have to. I wouldn't live there if you paid me.

Martha (jun F.

12:42PM PST on Nov 21, 2009

I, like Jane W live in FLA and agree that the
healthcare system here stinks. I'm disabled
and have 101 things wrong with me. Have Mcare
but I have to pay the balance which of course
I can't afford it, so I have to do without
proper care and medication. Need dental care
but that's a curse word here in Florida. I
have to wait 'till I lose my teeth one by one
so Mcare can pay for dentures, that sad part
about is is I don't think I would benefit from
the healthcare reform at all.