Breast Cancer Prevalence
In November 2003, the American Cancer Society stated that breast
cancer is the leading cause of death in women between the ages
of 40 and 44. In the United States, there are approximately
200,000 new cases of breast cancer and more than 40,000 deaths;
making the U.S. one of the countries with the highest death
rates due to breast cancer. Perhaps the most alarming statistic
is 1: 8 women will eventually develop breast cancer over their
lifetime.
Generally Accepted Risk Factors for developing breast cancer can
be divided into two categories; those a woman can control and
those she cannot. Women who choose pharmaceutical hormone
replacement therapy (HRT) and oral contraceptives may increase
their risk of breast cancer. Additionally, a woman who consumes
one or more alcoholic drinks per day or lives a sedentary
lifestyle faces an increased risk for acquiring breast cancer.
Those factors that are beyond the immediate control but still
may lead to increased risk include: onset of menstruation prior
to age 12 or onset of menopause after the age 50 and inheritance
of the breast cancer genes, BRCA 1 and BRCA 2. Inheriting the
breast cancer genes, BRCA 1 and BRCA 2, are known to be
associated with both breast and ovarian cancers, but only
account for 5-10% of all breast cancer. In 70% of all cases, the
cause of breast cancer is still yet unknown.
Conventional screening methods all examine structure. For
example, mammography uses X-ray to examine breast tissue. Any
structure that has grown large enough to be seen by X-ray could
be detected by mammography. However, mammography can have a high
false positive rate. In fact, only 1 in 6 biopsies are found to
be positive for cancer when found by mammography or clinical
breast exam. This leads to increased psychological stress,
physical trauma and financial worries.
Other risks of mammography include the radiation exposure,
although this has been debated by doctors for many years.
Recently published in Radiation Research, 2004 the author
suggests that the risks associated with mammography screening
may be FIVE times higher than previously assumed and the
risk-benefit relationship of mammography needs to be
re-examined.
There exists a technology that can detect a breast 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.
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.
Breast thermography has undergone extensive research since the
1950s. There are over 800 peer-reviewed studies on breast
thermography with more than 300,000 women included in large
clinical trials. An abnormal thermogram is 10 times more
significant as a future risk indicator for breast cancer than a
first order family history of the disease. A persistently
abnormal thermogram carries a 22-fold higher risk of future
breast cancer.
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, that
women begin thermographic screenings at age 25.
Thermographic screening is not covered by most insurance
companies but is surprisingly affordable for most people. For
more information or to find a certified clinic in your area, go
to www.proactivehealthonline.com.