On Breast cancer screenings

[mkultra]

Considering the new recommendations regarding breast cancer screenings and annual mammography, i ask the following poll. At what age should we start annual mammography to detect early breast cancer.

[mkultra]

1. for those who already voted, why not earlier?

[glowing]

2. My Doc told me to use alt. methods for detetecting breast cancer.

Those used similarly for men with breast cancer. the radiation is too strong for my tissue and is more likely to cause cancer from the radiation than to actually detect the cancer.

[notesdev]

3. The only person whose business it is to make this decision

is the patient


Reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend and his grandmother recently... we were asking her what has changed the most about this country in her time. She said the biggest thing that has changed is that people today relentlessly stick their noses in each others' business.

[mkultra]

4. well, people are always free to do what they want

these guidelines are not forced. I guess the greater question then becomes: "how early should mammography be covered by insurance?"

[notesdev]

7. Let's have some freedom of choice

If a woman wants early screening, let her choose a health maintenance program that covers it. She will have to make her own decision as to whether the cost is worth it, and to make it an honest decision she should pay the cost difference if she chooses more service over less. (If people don't have to pay for something they will always consume as much as they can, until that resource runs out.) No one is more qualified to make the choice for a person as to what is important to them, as much as the individual herself.

With regards to the word "insurance", that is a misnomer when it comes to preventative care. Insurance by definition insures against a risk, not a definite event. Medical coverage in case of an accident is insurance. Medical coverage for a routine dentist visit is not, that is maintenance.

[mkultra]

8. makes sense.

And is very reasonable. Personally, i wish we could see something like that evolve out of whats being discussed in congress.

Despite this reasoned opinion, the gist of the poll is to invoke discussion on the recent controversy regarding the new screening guidelines. Do you have an opinion on either the controversy or the guidelines?

[notesdev]

9. That is my opinion

that it's none of my damn business what age and frequency a woman feels is appropriate for her to undergo any specific medical evaluation... and it's nobody else's business either, not the government's, and not any "insurance" company's.

This stuff would all be much cheaper without the overhead of all the meddling busybodies who think they know what's best for other people.

[FarCenter]

10. If the insurance company or government is paying for it, it is their business

Since it involves their money.

(actually, if it is the government, it is everybody's business)

[notesdev]

12. Where do they get their money?

From the very people whose medical decisions they are usurping. They are nothing but parasites sucking money and efficiency out of the system.

[seabeyond]

5. i was 40 adn started yearly. about third yr doctor told me no no....

dont even need until 50. do one more in 40's then pick up in 50's

[mkultra]

6. i think the dission comes from each person working with their doctor

the guidelines are really just guidelines.

[GoCubsGo]

11. Whenever your doctor recommends it

I started getting them at 35. My mom had breast cancer. If it were not for that, I would have started later.

On edit: Back in 2003 ACOG changed their recommendations regarding cervical cancer screening. The most recent ones are just modifications of those changes. I don't recall any of the outrage and hand-wringing back in 2003, which is when they first recommended things like reducing the frequency of Pap smears. Nobody cared back then. Why is it an issue now?

[mkultra]

13. because the medical industry has their lackeys out in force...

trying to prop up unnecessary medical procedures.

[LeftishBrit]

14. In the UK, it is 50 unless you have special risk factors...

I was under the impression that the reason is that mammography is more difficult and unreliable before that age, because of the level of breast density. But this is not an issue about which I have very detailed knowledge.

[Hansel]

15. I started at 35 because I'm high risk

My Mom and both of my Grandmothers died of breast cancer. They all died in their 60's. There are plenty of women in my family (aunts) who have lived until their 90's who never had cancer.

I got the baseline at 35 and then started getting them every 3 years until I was 50. Then annually. I still don't have breast cancer, but I'm not quite 60 yet. I had one lump removed in my 40's but it was a benign tumor that was not even a pre-cancerous type. This is the "waste of resources" they fear.

I think it is just common sense to get them based on individual risk factors and I think this is what the study recommends. I don't think routine yearly mammograms from age 40 make sense unless you have a family history of early onset or are obese, or have some other risk factor for a greater chance of getting breast cancer. I think that there might have been a little over reaction because of the emotion of the issue, but I think the study makes some sense.

Maybe every woman should have one at 40 for a baseline and then 45 and 50. Annually from then on.

As far as self exam, I totally missed the lump that was removed even though I did do them.