An Argument for Getting Your Mammogram This Year
Fast forward to October 2009. An article is published after 10 years of breast cancer diagnoses and 7 years of follow up, thereafter, that puts forth some staggering statistics. They found that 75% of breast cancer deaths in women in Massachusetts between 1990 and 2007 happened in those who did not have regular screening mammograms. And we're not talking about a small number of cases followed in this study. This was 75% of about 7,000 cases. In medicine, there's always a delicate balance between risk and benefit. In other words, does the increased risk of DCIS outweigh the increased risk of death from breast cancer if I've got it and don't know. In naturopathic medicine, we deal with substances and treatments that, in general, are inherently safe, and we chose this field for that fact. However, the ND's role in primary care in Oregon begs our attention to this issue. Naturally, the decision lies with you, the patient, on what to do with your body. So what's my opinion?
I'll go on record as saying, based on the evidence I've seen and statistics I've pieced together, mammograms seem to improve breast cancer outcomes due to early detection. Until other screening tests are perfected (I like the future of thermography if they can get it together, standardization-wise and politically!), the yearly mammogram for women over 40 really seems like the best way to go. And of course, there are all sorts of naturopathic therapies we can design to minimize any radiation effect on the breast tissue, improve your estrogen metabolism, and keep your natural immune surveillance in tip top shape for cancer prevention.
There's lots of scary evidence on both sides of the fence and you have to do the right thing for you. If you're in this boat, good luck with your decision, you're not alone!
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