Recommendations For Early Breast Cancer Screening
Women need to empower themselves about the benefits and risks of
mammography and examine the additional screening tools available
today. One current philosophy suggests breast health screening
should begin at age 25. Where does this recommendation come from
and why is this valid?
For MOST women, the recommendation for annual breast cancer
screening begins at the age of 40. Unfortunately, the American
Cancer Society stated that the number one cause of death in
women between the ages of 40-44 is breast cancer. So what does
this mean for women? It means that we screen at age 40 and
potentially find tumors that have been growing for an estimated
8-10 years. Mammography, like most conventional tests, evaluates
structure.
There exists a technology that can detect an issue YEARS before
a tumor can be seen on X-ray or palpated during an exam. This
technology has been approved by the FDA as an adjunctive
screening tool since 1982 and offers NO RADIATION, NO
COMPRESSION AND NO PAIN. For women who are refusing to have a
mammogram or those who want clinical correlation for an existing
problem, digital infrared thermal imaging may be of interest.
There are very strict protocols both for testing and
interpreting. Perhaps due to these guidelines, thermography (as
with all digital technology) has exploded in its technique and
capabilities. Thermal cameras detect heat emitted from the body
and display it as a picture on a computer monitor. These images
are unique to the person and remain stable over time. It is
because of these characteristics that thermal imaging is a
valuable and effective screening tool. Tumors or other breast
diseases measures warmer than surrounding tissue and can thereby
alert a physician to a problem before a tumor is actually
palpable.
Medical doctors who interpret the breast scans are board
certified and endure an additional two years of training to
qualify as a thermologist. Thermography is not limited by breast
density and is ideal for women who have had cosmetic or
reconstructive surgery. It is recommended that since cancer
typically has a 15 year life span from onset to death, women
begin thermographic screenings at age 25. As previously
mentioned, the number one killer of women ages 40-44 is breast
cancer. Therefore, a woman diagnosed with breast cancer at age
40 possibly had the cancer as early as age 30. Since most women
do not have a mammogram until age 40, there is a critical time
period from age 25 to 39 that thermography could be especially
beneficial. Thermography, because it analyzes function, may
identify a problem years earlier. DITI may allow women time and
opportunity to support their immune system, change their
lifestyle and give their body the best chance to alter their
fate.
By combining both technologies, the detection rate increases to
95-98%, surpassing either technology as a stand-alone therapy.
Thermography, like mammography, is a personal choice for women.
This decision ideally should be made in collaboration between
you and your physician. However, thermography does not require a
physician