We invite you to join in the conversation by leaving a comment below.
Read More:
“Why Doctors Are Rethinking Breast-Cancer Treatment.” Time Magazine, October 1, 2015.
“Our Feel-Good War on Breast Cancer.” Peggy Orenstein. The New York Times, April 25, 2013.
Good for you, Missy! You are not alone in your stance. I applaud your boldness to speak out. Here’s a fact for those who want facts: Money drives the fear based tactics, not the welfare of the people. Prevention and cure would put too many out of business. How many cases are cancer are caused by the mammograms?
Wow! Thank you for such a great conversation. I can’t say that I am knowledgeable about breast cancer or mammograms. But I do understand the difference between raising awareness and researching a cure. And frankly, I’m pinked out. There are other colors out there. My color choice is orange. I live with Multiple Sclerosis. There is no cure for MS. The color the National MS Society uses is orange. They raise money to not only cure MS, but to help those of us who live with MS in tangible ways. MS is not a fun disease, but I am grateful for the MS Society for raising money to find a tangible cure rather than touchy feely, feel good awareness. So if anyone wants to donate to a great organization that has low overhead and funds actual research, consider making a donation to the MS Society (sorry, had to put in my plug).
Hey all. First, THIS is HER company. I think that grants her the right to make a statement about this VERY important issue.
Personally, I support what Missy has to say despite the fact that I have had a mastectomy after being diagnosed with DCIS.
I resisted having a mammogram until I went in to a clinic to get a referral for physical therapy after a bike-related arm injury. The intake nurse was shocked that I (at the age of 52) had never had a mammogram. Who knows why I decided to go ahead and have one that day. No family history of breast cancer, etc. but I did.
Then I was called back for another mammogram and then a stereotactic biopsy and then diagnosed with DCIS.
Of course, this whole time, I’m doing my own research and trying to decide what to do.
NEVER wanted to get caught up in the whole breast cancer mill but despite my resistance, I succumbed to my fear that this highly treatable cancer might possibly turn into invasive cancer which would require more treatment.
My over-riding concern was the possibility that this could become “real cancer” and I didn’t want my 2 sons to have to deal with my decision not to “nip it in the bud”.
I chose to have a simple mastectomy and did not have to undergo further treatment.
I miss my left breast and wish that I had had the courage to hew to my beliefs.
Susan, you did have great courage. You went through a test that saved your life. Your sons will have their mother around much longer now (to doubt and eschew other decisions) and isn’t that the best news?
Thank you for sharing your point of view, especially when it is not popular opinion. I feel like you are expressing your freedom of choice! This is all part of our freedoms – choosing not to get specialized medical exams of your body should be up the individual. We all should be given our “right to choose”.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Cancer, including breast, is a failure of our immune system. Are there multiple reasons…you BET! But most breast cancer has been shown to be “triggered” by excess estrogen. The failure of the medical community today is because they are blinded by money. Every woman should look into alternative prevention and treatment, including breast thermography. I applaud you for pointing out the idiocy in “pink-washing”…..no matter how unpopular. The truth isn’t always popular, but it is still the truth. Thanks!!!!
Just wanted to add this article for “enlightenment” for some.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/03/03/experts-say-avoid-mammograms.aspx
Dr. Mercola is in no, way, shape or form a legitimate source of medical information. He is an anti-vaxxer for starters.
http://www.alternet.org/personal-health/four-biggest-quacks-plaguing-america-their-bad-claims-about-science
Name calling and putting people in groups is limiting our ability to think critically because it results in the “us against them” and the “I’m right, your wrong” mentality…what are you missing because of this conditioned thought process of discounting Dr Mercola because you decided he is an “anti-vaxer”? OPEN YOUR MIND! Don’t be afraid to consider views that are different than yours!
There are plenty of reasons to discredit Mercola. Primarily the majority of his claims cannot be supported by evidence. I am willing to look at other views, but they need to be backed up with evidence. He also makes a lot of money peddling unproven treatments which I find most unethical.
The insurance companies want to give their great appreciation for not spending money to check for breast cancer using mammograms which have saved many lives including my sister and myself. What a ridiculous comment. So you get extra mammograms and your on pins and needles for a few days til you get the results. Who with a family breast cancer history isn’t worried about it anyway. Early detection is the key. Shame on you.
too much money without clear results!
“Why I have just opted out of Title Nine…”
I’m a breast cancer survivor and a fellowship-trained breast surgeon. Your lack of knowledge of the science behind breast cancer research and mammogram use is almost as unfortunate as your use of your platform to spread mistrust of the only screening test that has been shown to reduce mortality from breast cancer. I hope that your readers are intelligent enough to see your comments for what they are: completely misguided and not evidence based.
This message is irresponsible, poorly argued, and misplaced. I would rather not have my email used for this purpose in the future.
According to a 25 year study from Canada, yearly mammograms in middle-age women do not reduce breast cancer deaths; the study which included nearly 90,000 women ages 40-59…the same number of women died of breast cancer over 25 years, regardless of whether they underwent yearly mammograms or not….it is also controversial whether the potential benefits of mammograms outweigh the harm done by overdiagnosis and overtreatment. The new study found that about 22 % of breast cancers detected by mammogram were what researchers call over-diagnosed, meaning the mammograms revealed tumors that didn’t cause disease…would not have reduced a woman’s life…
Can you please provide links to these studies?
The Canadian study to which you refer had methodological problems which were discussed by Sickles et al via the Society of Breast Imagers and the American College of Radiology.
But even more than that–if you are diagnosed with DCIS (i.e. stage 0 cancer, noninvasive cancer), as a patient what do you want to do? Leave it there and see what happens? Get it out? Not all DCIS progresses, but some does, and without biopsy, we can’t even get biology of these tumors. Additionally, the natural outcome for such may not be noted for years.
I would imagine that the Title Nine CEO doesn’t get colonoscopy either, because not all polyps are cancer or pre-cancerous. Her choice, but her views seem to be all over the place and not supported by actual facts.