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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.
I too have discontinued mammograms for similar reasons. Having had fibroids for 25+ years, mammogram results automatically get me a referral for biopsy. Neither the primary physicians nor the surgeons really listen to or consider my individual situation (existence of fibroids, no family cancer history and multiple protective factors) in this process. There is no way to know if their pushing for a $20,000 biopsy procedure was motivated by profit, or fear of legal liability – perhaps some of each. When I refused to go ahead with it in 2009, the surgeon made sure to send me a certified letter stating that if I died of delayed diagnosis breast cancer it would not be her fault. That experience caused a great deal of needless anxiety, and I have no desire to repeat it. I commend your call for action where it will make a real difference!
I am sitting here crying!,You have right to your own opinion but if it had not been for mammograms ,me,my cousin and 8 close friends would not be here!,,please consider the impact of your statement on even one young woman!
I just lost my sis-in-law to breast cancer and would love to see more money going to research and actual new treatments. The solidarity walks and pink ribbons can do just so much. The chemo and radiation treatments have saved some, but this is a brutal archaic approach. Let’s find a real cure.
The cognitive biases of the people who work in the field of mammography is understandable yet astounding. I would expect the MD(s) to factor those in & admit that regardless of the fancy algorithms & “strict criteria” of their professional organizations, that they would leave room for the inherent biases & weigh all factors of life, not just their narrow field, in their opinions & responses.
As nice as the ancillary workers are, many just are unable to have a wider perspective… they are mostly all just happily, earnestly doing their jobs.
I am so outraged that Title Nine is a platform for this shockingly irresponsible rant and the potential negative influence on women’s health choices that I will forthwith boycott and encourage others I know who have, like me, been loyal customers for years, to do the same.
As a former molecular biologist & fellow female human trapped in the American health care system, I could not agree w/ you more…. For every reason you listed & many more.
Sonographers are not statistical PhD epidemiologists, are not MD pathologists & are just merely an extension/mimion of MD radiologists, whose algorithms for breast cancer detection are dragnet-style at best & cover-their-lega-asses in reality. I have seen the industry algorithms.
Having desire & passion to detect breast cancer should not be confused with the actual ability to detect it.
There are so many more diseases worth our attention. Heart disease kills WAY more (5 times more) women than breast cancer. The never-ending 3rd party billing from my first mammogram, from the facility bill to the radiologist bill & every other biller related to this one procedure has given me more stress than the stress of having a primary female relative w/ breast cancer. Sometimes, you just gotta say fnck it. This is one of those times for me.
I understand advocating for money to go to breast cancer research and not administrative costs and “awareness,” but I think it’s irresponsible to take the position she has regarding mammograms in such a public fashion. If it’s her personal decision, then it’s just: why does it have to be broadcast (the first such email I’ve ever received from Title 9) so publicly? And why would you opt out of mammograms because you don’t like how the $ raised for breast cancer is spent? I don’t follow the logic and I think it’s an irresponsible position to take in a forum like this.
A mammogram saved my life. It caught a tumor that I never would have found until it was very advanced. I’m a five-year survivor after a harrowing year of a mastectomy, chemo, and radiation.
Thank you for the conversation! And thanks Missy for being bold! I appreciate the post and the replies to this that are civil and a conversation. We all need to be prodded more to think for ourselves and I’m hoping that is what you were trying to do. Whether you agree with someone’s choices or not, there is one thing I saw that made me think about more than just breast exams and mammograms. Giving to Breast Cancer awareness organizations – I’m going to double check the organizations I give to – to ensure the money I give goes to research and finding a cure – not administration or other things. The mammogram decision – I’ll think about it next time. I’m pretty sure my choice will be to get one, but I will THINK about it and I will think twice about the organizations I give to, and rather than just give money to an organization – maybe reach out to an individual struggling with breast cancer.
Hi Missy, I had breast cancer 4 years ago and the only way that I found it was through an annual mammogram. You could not feel it and it was not there the year before. I believe the mammogram saved not only my life but also from me having to go through radiation and chemo because it was caught so early. I respect your opinion but just wanted you to know my story.
I agree with the sentiments regarding pink washing, entirely. However, boycotting mammograms does nothing to further curing breast cancer than a pink ribbon. Not all cancers are from HRT–in fact, my own aggressive form of breast cancer was completely non-horomone receptive. Without proper detection it would have killed me, quickly. Title 9 has excellent products for post-mastectomy/reconstruction patients. I tried for a time to connect our local Title9 store with my plastic surgeon, in order to provide support and education–using Title 9 as a trusted resource-the manager and staff at that store were exceptional. In fact, I considered contacting you, in order to determine whether I might be of use on the corporate level to connect more women with your excellent products. While I agree, there is an amount of misdiagnosis, and concern regarding negative biopsies, suggesting that women forego screening seems like an opposite extreme reaction.
I agree with not going ‘extreme ‘ with our reactions. I’m thrilled to hear your story. I believe we need more access to 3D imaging…for those of us with dense breasts. I’ve found mammograms to be traumatic just to be told they couldn’t really know, due to having dense breasts. I was just diagnosed with early onset breast cancer which is very much hormone related. Which I found myself. I had skipped last years testing.