breast cancer screening Archives - Amazing Health Advances

How a Mammogram Actually Causes Breast Cancer

The AHA! Team — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 05:07:39 +0000

Abby Campbell via NaturalHealth365 – In reality, more and more studies are showing that a mammogram breast screening has some major flaws – which put women at serious health risk and actually increase the risk of cancer. An X-ray picture of the breast, called a mammogram, is heavily promoted as the ‘primary way to screen’ for breast cancer, according to Western medicine. Conventionally speaking, an annual detection screening is recommended as early as age 40 by both the American Cancer Society and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, while the United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends screenings every other year starting at age 50. While mammogram guidelines differ amongst organizations, they all agree there are concerns about the test. Yet, disputes exist amongst experts when it comes to mammography detecting invasive breast cancer. So, the question remains: do the benefits outweigh the risks? In reality, more and more studies are showing that a mammogram breast screening has some major flaws – which put women at serious health risk and actually increase the risk of cancer. Strange logic: Zero-stage cancer detected but treated aggressively Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) refers to the abnormal growth of cells forming a lesion between 1 and 1.5 centimeters in diameter. While this is not cancer, approximately 25 percent (60,000 cases) of all newly diagnosed breast cancer falls within this category each year. Because evidence indicates that less than half of DCIS cases progress to invasive cancer, some experts declare it should be reclassified as a non-cancerous condition. Additionally, they recommend a “watchful eye” for women who have this condition rather than invasive therapy. After all, why treat someone who doesn’t have cancer with chemotherapy or radiation – which places their immune systems at risk for a lifetime? However, mammography proponents claim they’re saving lives through early detection and treatment of DCIS. They view it as pre-cancerous or “stage zero cancer” and believe it could eventually cause harm if left untreated. Therefore, they recommend treating it in the same manner as invasive cancer with aggressive treatments. But is this right or fair? According to Time Magazine, “Cancer has a language problem … A 57-year old woman with low-grade DCIS that will almost certainly never become invasive hears the same word as the 34-year old woman who has metastatic malignancies that will kill her. That’s confusing to patients conditioned to treat every cancer diagnosis as an emergency in a world that still reacts to cancer as though it’s the beginning of the end.” The latest round of controversy was set off about DCIS treatment after a study was published by JAMA Oncology. After a 20-year analysis of 100,000 women who were diagnosed with DCIS, the mortality rate from breast cancer of these patients was the same as the general population at 3.3 percent. Radiation from mammogram screening is a breast cancer risk While several organizations like the Susan G. Komen for the Cure heavily promote mammograms for early screening for breast cancer, it’s ironic that mammogram machines put each woman at risk for the very thing they want to prevent. The ionizing radiation used to detect breast tumors is a risk factor for breast cancer development. Additionally, the crushing compression of this test on the breast tissue may potentially spread cancer if the cancer cells are present. After several studies, Cornell University determined people who are exposed to ionizing radiation emitted from machines like the mammogram machine place themselves at risk for breast cancer. They also stated, “… female breast tissue is highly susceptible to radiation effects” as it “is one of the most sensitive tissues to the carcinogenic action of ionizing radiation.” They also revealed that it takes a minimum of five to 10 years for radiation-induced breast cancer to develop. Finally, they concluded that greater levels of radiation exposure lead to a greater risk of breast cancer. Every time a woman is exposed to this form of radiation, she is placing herself at higher risk – especially if the screening is done when there is estrogen stimulation and tissue proliferation that occurs during monthly menstrual cycles. Prevention of breast cancer is better than detection While early detection of breast cancer can be done by mammogram screening, it is not the same as “prevention.” Lifestyle choices will help you prevent cancer or any chronic illness. Be sure to eat real whole and organic foods, drink plenty of fresh (clean) water, exercise regularly, get plenty of rest, and manage stress levels. Editor’s note: Discover the best ways to naturally reduce the risk of cancer, own the Stop Cancer Docu-Class created by NaturalHealth365 Programs. Sources for this article include: NIH.gov CDC.gov Nccn.org Time.com To read the original article click here.

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Why Are Mammogram Guidelines Conflicting?

AHA Publisher — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 07:00:49 +0000

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM via Nutrition Facts – When women are fully informed about the risks and benefits of mammograms, 70 percent may choose not to get screened. You may be in that 30 percent who opts to get a mammogram and absolutely have the right to decide for yourself. “For nearly a century, public health organizations, professional associations, patient advocacy groups, academics, and clinicians largely viewed cancer screening as a simple, safe way to save lives.” But these days, even though we’re all looking at the same body of evidence, “differing interpretations about evidence on benefits and harms of screening mammography has led to conflicting recommendations…that range from intensive screening starting at age 40 to no screening at all.” Currently, the four main groups in the United States charged with making mammogram recommendations—the American Cancer Society, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network—each set contradictory guidelines. What’s a woman to do? This is the issue I discuss in my video Mammogram Recommendations: Why the Conflicting Guidelines?. Guidelines are based on systematic reviews of the evidence. “In the last 15 years, 50 systematic reviews on the use of routine mammography for breast cancer screening in asymptomatic women have been published but a consistent conclusion has not emerged.” Why? It turns out that the conclusions of systematic reviews may have been influenced by competing conflicts of interests of the authors. “It is only in health care, after all, that the same group that provides a service also tells us how valuable that service is and how much of it we need…We must acknowledge that just as in any other profession or industry, self-interest is unavoidably at work in health care.” Indeed, an analysis of more than a hundred papers concluded: “Scientific articles tend to emphasize the major benefits of mammography screening over its major harms. This imbalance is related to the authors’ affiliation.” It may be no coincidence that all of the expert panels that have come out against routine mammograms excluded radiologists. Perhaps those who depend on mammograms for their paycheck might be more likely to recommend them. One “leading proponent of mammography screening said ‘I earn my living reading mammograms’, and ‘if you don’t have a conflict of interest you probably don’t have the expertise’.” He accused the breast cancer screening panels of injecting their own biases. “In this debate, there are armies of the faithful, and only a disappointing scattering of moderators and peacemakers.” Some have even suggested that “this debate should not be taking place in public…Such paternalism assumes that women cannot decide for themselves whether the available evidence supports or refutes the case for mammography. Discouraging a discussion with women about the evidence for and against mammography is more harmful for women’s health, not less, if doctors truly believe that patients should be active partners in making decisions about their care.” If you read the actual studies, you can determine whether the investigators declare any conflicts of interest, but if you simply hear about the studies second-hand, you may have no idea. Until the developers of screening guidelines “emphasize evidence over commercial or financial interests,” we all have to take personal responsibility to become informed consumers. It would be nice to be able to trust cancer charities, but it is “virtually impossible” for such organizations to remain strictly “evidence-based” when they must rely on donors “for their very existence.” To his credit, the Chief Medical Officer of the American Cancer Society (ACS) “noted that we need to be true to the science”—but he was talking about prostate cancer screening. Although the ACS simply tells women to get mammograms, it lets men decide for themselves. The charity is open about the harms of prostate cancer screening, but “very little transparent ‘educational’ information about the harms of mammography is provided on the American Cancer Society website.” “In the United States…a double standard exists: women are encouraged to participate in screening mammography”—to just do it—“while men are advised to make informed decisions regarding prostate screening, although the fundamental issues to consider are very similar.” The “dissimilarity” in how organizations like the American Cancer Society “view the shared decision making of women contemplating breast cancer screening versus that of men contemplating prostate cancer screening, couldn’t be clearer. Do [they] believe that men can handle uncertainties regarding screening tests for prostate cancer, but that women cannot handle uncertainties, and in fact become confused by them when making decisions about breast cancer screenings?” Men get to “make informed decisions,” but women are merely “summoned.” The bottom line is that there is “more than one right answer” to the question, “Should I be screened for breast cancer?” My goal is to enable you to make the decision that is right for you and your loved ones. One survey found that “if women knew how small the real effectiveness of breast cancer screening in preventing breast cancer deaths is, 70% said they would not submit to it.” But, you may be in that 30 percent—and you have every right to decide for yourself. When it comes to this topic, there’s just so much confusion, combined with the corrupting commercial interests of a billion–dollar industry. As with any important health decision, everyone should be fully informed of the risks and benefits, and make up their own mind about their own bodies. KEY TAKEAWAYS At present, the American Cancer Society, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network have each set contradictory guidelines regarding mammography screening. Conclusions of systematic reviews on the use of routine mammograms for breast cancer screening in asymptomatic women have been inconsistent, and the evidence may be influenced by competing conflicts of interests of the authors. An analysis of more than a hundred papers concluded: “Scientific articles tend to emphasize the major benefits of mammography screening over its major harms. This imbalance is related to the authors’ affiliation.” Cancer charities may also be challenged with remaining strictly “evidence-based” when they rely on donations to exist. A double standard exists in the United States where women are encouraged to get routine mammograms, while men are advised to make informed decisions about prostate screening even though the fundamental issues to consider are quite similar. A survey found that “if women knew how small the real effectiveness of breast cancer screening in preventing breast cancer deaths is, 70% said they would not submit to it.” You may be in that 30 percent who opts to get a mammogram, and you have every right to decide for yourself. To read the original article click here.

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Breast Cancer Preventative Care: Breast Density — Separating Myth From Fact

AHA Publisher — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 07:00:23 +0000

Penn State Health Medical Minute via News Wise – While fatty tissue appears grey on a mammogram, dense tissue appears white. Some cancer lesions also appear white on a mammogram. “Therefore, high levels of dense tissue in some women may mask a cancer lesion on a mammogram,” Sivarajah said. Newswise — Mammograms remain the gold standard for detecting breast cancer in its earliest stages, potentially saving lives. So, why do some women receive a letter after a negative mammogram – meaning there’s no sign of cancer – asking them to consider additional tests? The answer, according to Dr. Rebecca Sivarajah, a specialist in breast imaging with Penn State Health, boils down to the type of tissue in a woman’s breasts. “Most breasts include both fatty tissue and the fibroglandular, or dense, tissue,” she said. While fatty tissue appears grey on a mammogram, dense tissue appears white. Some cancer lesions also appear white on a mammogram. “Therefore, high levels of dense tissue in some women may mask a cancer lesion on a mammogram,” Sivarajah said. That’s why, six years ago, Pennsylvania enacted a law requiring radiologists to notify women with dense breast tissue about supplemental screenings following a negative mammogram. While the law raised awareness of the risks associated for women with dense breast tissue, the topic itself evokes many questions and myths. Let’s separate some myths from the facts. Myth 1 – I can tell my breast density by the way they feel. Fact: “In general, you can’t determine breast density by ‘feel’,” Sivarajah said. Instead, a mammogram will determine breast density. The American College of Radiology breaks down breast density into four classes. Women whose breasts rank in the “fatty” or “scattered fibroglandular tissue” classes do not have enough dense breast tissue to raise concern. Women whose breasts rank in the “heterogeneously dense” and “extremely dense” classes have high breast density. An estimated 40% of U.S. women fall into those latter two classes. Myth 2 – I can’t have dense breast tissue because I’m not overweight. Fact: Obesity has little impact on breast density. “Being overweight or obese may increase the amount of fatty tissue in a woman’s breast, but it doesn’t increase the relative amount of dense breast tissue,” Sivarajah said. However, a woman’s breast density often decreases with age. Myth 3 – Breast density doesn’t affect my cancer risk. Fact: “Women in the highest density class (‘extremely dense’) are more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer compared to a woman in the lowest density class (‘fatty’),” Sivarajah said. Myth 4 – Because I have dense breasts, I don’t need a mammogram. Fact: Supplemental tests do not take the place of a mammogram. “While dense breast tissue can make a mammogram less sensitive, mammograms can still find breast cancer,” Sivarajah said. In fact, some potential signs of breast cancer, such as certain calcifications and distortions, can only be found with a mammogram. For most women with high breast density, a screening breast ultrasound is the most common supplemental test. Penn State Breast Center offers Automated Breast Ultrasound Screening (ABUS), which uses soundwaves – not radiation – to create a 3-D image of the breast. During this screening, a padded, curve-shaped transducer is placed on the breast while the patient lies down. “The test is comfortable for most women,” Sivarajah says. For women with a higher lifetime risk of cancer – 20 percent or more as determined by a doctor – breast MRI may be recommended as a supplemental test. This test uses magnets and contrast dye to enhance any potential lesions differently from dense breast tissue. Most insurance plans cover ABUS or screening ultrasound of the breast. Breast MRI is often covered by insurance for patients who have an elevated lifetime risk greater than 20%. Patients should check with their insurance carrier to verify coverage. So, what’s the best next step for women who get a letter about their breast density? “Talk with your primary care doctor about whether a supplemental test is right for you,” Sivarajah said. The Medical Minute is a weekly health news feature produced by Penn State Health. Articles feature the expertise of faculty, physicians and staff, and are designed to offer timely, relevant health information of interest to a broad audience. To read the original article click here.

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