To Mammogram, or Not to Mammogram?; That is the Question

It’s not all about the pink.  But when you see pink, especially in the shape of a ribbon, I imagine it would be hard to find someone who doesn’t know what it represents.  Promotional? Absolutely.  But it got the nation’s attention…and it has caused some debate.

“To mammogram, or not to mammogram?”, that is the question…

Mammograms are not about the prevention of breast cancer; they are all about providing a means in which to detect it.  And detecting it early gives women a better chance of successful treatment.  Though not all women will have a winning outcome.  So let me say, mammograms do not equal survival. 

What a mammogram can do is find abnormalities in breast tissue. Cancers behave in a variety of ways and patterns, often times, cannot be predicted. Not all abnormalities are cancer but without proper diagnosis we simply would not know what is normal and what isn’t. 

There is much controversy over mammograms. The main argument being they subject women to unnecessary risk.  Do the benefits outweigh the risks? It’s up to you to put it into perspective.

Some alternatives to mammography:

·     Self-breast exams (SBE).  While self-examination is good, a clinical exam also should be performed. The National Cancer Institute defines it as:  “A physical exam of the breast performed by a health care provider to check for lumps or other changes. Also called CBE.”

• Ultrasound
• MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
• Thermography

All across the headlines, specifically in “Pinktober”, are “studies-show…” viewpoints and there will be issues with those too. It is ultimately up to each woman to decide how, or if, to choose a method that is right for her. Discuss the risks and benefits of the screening options with your doctor and together you can make an informed decision. Remember these are guidelines, a plan of action to promote the health of your breasts.

While it is important to know the risks to any procedure you have done, it is also important to know if you are in the high-risk percentage of developing breast cancer.  Being at a higher risk may influence how thorough, vigilant, and aggressive you wish to be.

“To be, or not to be, that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?” 

William Shakespeare

You Want To Do WHAT with My Breasts?

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer for women and about 46,000 women will fall victim to it each year.  Mammograms can cut this statistic by 30 percent.

By now, my family, friends, and Facebook buddies are probably so tired of hearing and reading my relentless promotion of breast cancer awareness.  I can understand that. I am an extremely persistent person. 

They see my name – usually attached to it is a pink ribbon – and they probably want to tie the thing around my neck to silence me…and these are my relatives, my friends…I can’t imagine what my acquaintances are wanting to do.

Here is why I continue my faithful mission…50% of women in America do not get an annual mammogram.  That is a staggering percentage.  That's almost like wearing only one shoe when you have two feet to cover, only the consequences can be much more costly.

From Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and you can read the full article here http://ww5.komen.org/Content.aspx?id=6442452934 , “Average annual mammography rates were as follows: 47% for women aged 40 to 49 years, 54% for women aged 50 to 64, and 45% for women aged 65 or older…” “Despite professional recommendations and public support in favor of regular mammography, only about half of US women get an annual mammogram, even if they have insurance to cover the test.”

My question – what about the other half that don’t?

While the article did not specify why half of American women don’t have the procedure done, it does hint that the reasons may be due to the discomfort pertaining to the procedure and that there may be a lack of centers where screening is done.

Other reasons might be that they don’t have the time and they are embarrassed to have the mammogram done.

What if you are the one, out of eight women, to be singled out to get the diagnosis that you have breast cancer?  Please, consider this…the alternative to not having a mammogram, avoiding the short lived discomfort, not making time, might be worse.

We all have to try to understand these obstacles and do what we can to overcome them. Quite often, discussing these fears with your doctor can alleviate some of the anxiety.

Ladies (and Gentlemen), Get to Know Your Breasts!

While I love to weave humor into my writing, what you will read is serious and on an extremely personal level.

Way back, when I was about to turn 40, I asked for a hysterectomy for my birthday. What I got instead was a mammogram.  And every year after, on my birthday, I got another one.

In December of 2008 I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  I had a lump in my left breast. This lump had been there for a while; my doctor informed me it was a fibro adenoma. Basically, a mass that is benign (non-cancerous). He left the option of having it removed to me.  While it was not bothersome when I first discovered it, after time it became tender and I decided to have it removed.

Behind this non-cancerous lump was a tumor...and it was cancer.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month but so many of us are aware of this disease every month, literally every day.  Perhaps this is because we know someone who had or has cancer. Let me put this into a different perspective.

Do you know eight women?  Well, one of them, in her lifetime, will be diagnosed with breast cancer.  She might be your mother, your sister, a friend, or a daughter...it might be YOU.  This disease does not discriminate. It does not care what color you are, how old you are (or how young). Here are some statistics:  http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/breast.html.

Breast cancer doesn't even care if you are a woman or a MAN.  This is from the Cancer Treatment Centers of America: "Male breast cancer is real and can be just as dangerous as breast cancer in women. It is expected that over 1,000 men will be diagnosed with male breast cancer each year. Because men often wait to report the symptoms of male breast cancer, the disease is more likely to have spread, leaving many men with less hope that treatment will lead to recovery."

Early detection is key in preventing and fighting breast cancer.  Simply put, get your mammograms yearly:  http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/detection/mammograms

Do self-breast-exams on a monthly basis:  http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/guide/breast-self-exam

It has been almost three years since my diagnosis. After several surgeries and treatments, I am happy to report I am cancer free.  However, I remain vigilant because having had cancer and surviving it does NOT make me (or anyone else) exempt, or less resistant, from getting it again.

Please pass this information along. Share it with your friends and family members. It is far too easy to get desensitized to what we hear and read about breast cancer. Too often the buzzwords ("early detection", "self-exams") become cliche. Take time to understand these words and then put them into action.

Tickled Pink? Or Overwhelmed by Breast Cancer Awareness Information?

Of all the months in the year, October bombards us with everything pink. We see pink ribbons on shirts, hats, and shoes. There are posters, billboards, pink bras, and boxing gloves telling us to "Fight Like a Girl." It can be overwhelming. Maybe some are tired of seeing and hearing about it.

I was tired, too. Tired of my breasts being poked, pushed, and squished.  They were scrutinized then analyzed, and yes, they were victimized... by cancer.

To add to the list, not only did I have my general practitioner and gynecologist, I now had a radiologist and an oncologist.

When visiting my dentist, I immediately began to pull my arms through their sleeves and I looked around for the gown - "with the opening in the front, please."

My breasts were no longer private and I began to think of them as extra elbows or knees, body parts that I didn't mind showing to everyone in the eastern half of Connecticut, which made me thankful that I didn't live in a big state, like Texas or Alaska.

And then it began... the inundation of information.  Not red flags, but pink ones, were flying high and waving me their way.  There was so much to process and I didn't know where to begin.  Information came by mail, over the telephone, and through my many doctors.  I even started receiving pamphlets from AARP and The Scooter Store, which had little to do with having cancer, but still I was annoyed.

I have provided some links to websites that I feel are beneficial in making some sense of what you can do.

Know your risk.  Such as gender, age, genetics.  Do you have a personal or family history of breast cancer?  There are also lifestyle-related factors to consider.  http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/BreastCancer/DetailedGuide/breast-cancer-risk-factors

Early detection and prevention.  The most important thing you can do is to get your yearly mammogram and perform self-breast-exams.  Women need to know how their breasts feel and look in order to detect any changes. 

Here is a link to free or low cost screening locations (as well as who should be screened and at what age this needs to begin on a yearly basis):  http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp/screenings.htm

Sorting through all of the information out there can be a huge undertaking, and a monumental task.  I found this site very helpful and easy to navigate:  http://www.informationaboutcancer.com/breast-cancer/learning-about/index.html

Susan G. Komen for the Cure is an excellent resource:  http://ww5.komen.org/ and http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/UnderstandingBreastCancer.html

More clinical information can be found here:  http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/breast
Another source is phoning 211 (Infoline).  The United Way lists 40 locations in Connecticut where screening is available.

The Department of Public Health also provides screening at little or no cost.  Here is information for Connecticut:  http://www.ct.gov/dph/cwp/view.asp?a=3124&q=388824&dphPNavCtr=47735

My calendar is almost as demanding as the president's, and while he is busy with saving the world, I will keep busy with saving myself and doing what I can to help spread the word.

This article is the second in a series, the first, Ladies (and Gentlemen), Get to Know Your Breasts, was published September 26, 2011.