Breast cancer strikes fear into the hearts of every woman. Most of us have known someone—a friend, family member, co-worker, neighbor—who has been treated for breast cancer or worse, has died of the disease. Historically, breast cancer was diagnosed after a woman sought medical attention for pain or a palpable mass. Annual mammograms became the “gold standard” for breast cancer screening; the goal has become to find tumors before they can be palpated.

However, mammography is a late test. It does not prevent cancer; detect cancer. Women place unreasonably high hopes in the ability of technology to reduce cancer risk. A recent study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, reported that women often overestimate the risk-reducing power of a mammogram by more than 100 times.(1)

Mammograms give a false sense of security about a clean bill of health. Sensitivity, or the number of women who have cancer who also have a positive mammogram, ranges from 54% to 58% among women younger than 40 and 81% to 94% among women older than 65 . In women ages 40 to 65, the ability of a mammogram to identify a tumor depends on many variables: the size of the lesion, the use of hormones, the density of the breast tissue, the overall quality of the image, and interpretive skills. from the radiologist.

Cancer is identified in only a small fraction of women (0.1%-0.5%, depending on age) who are screened. Studies have shown that for every death prevented by screening, there are at least 200 false-positive results.(2) The number of follow-up procedures generated by cancer screening programs, such as repeat mammograms, ultrasounds, and MRIs, Exponentially Increases Cost of Disease In the United States, biopsies that turn out to be benign cost the healthcare system more than $1 billion a year.(3)

Detection has another potentially damaging effect. Women are psychologically damaged by the stress of an abnormal mammogram that turns out to be a false alarm. A new survey developed by Brodersen and her colleagues and published this month (7/07) measured six psychosocial dimensions: anxiety, behavioral impact, feeling down, sleep impact, breast examination, and sexuality. The survey showed that women who have an abnormal screening mammogram that is later confirmed as a false positive are negatively affected in all six categories.

What else can be done?

Digital infrared imaging (digital IR), also called thermography, has been FDA-approved for breast health screening since 1982. It is painless, non-invasive, and does not use radiation. The scan detects and records thermal patterns in the skin that are not seen with any other tool.

Abnormal cells require large amounts of nutrients for rapid growth. Through a process called angiogenesis, new blood vessels are drawn in the direction of the atypical cell. Along with the release of cytokines and nitric oxide, additional blood flows to the heat-increasing area in the tissues that can be detected by thermography.

Normal skin surface temperature is symmetrical, deviating by less than 0.3°C from one side to the other. New digital IR cameras can detect differences as small as 0.1C. A temperature variation of more than 1.0°C suggests the presence of abnormal cells, possibly precancerous. These subtle changes can be detected seven to eight years before a mass becomes palpable or can be detected by mammography.

What is a thermogram procedure like?

After undressing to the waist, it takes about 15 minutes to equilibrate to room temperature. An experienced technician performs three scans, frontal, left, and right, with arms extended overhead. Both hands are then placed in cold water for exactly one minute. When the sympathetic nervous system cools down, the normal vessels contract; The abnormal vessels remain the same size or become dilated. A second set of scans is taken for comparison. When the scans are complete, the exam is over.

Why isn’t everyone taking this test?

Why don’t doctors usually recommend this test? Why don’t you offer it in your office? An abnormal scan cannot be corrected with medication. Conventional doctors are not trained to use vitamins, supplements and detoxification, essential tools to repair damaged physiology. If a woman has a normal mammogram, doctors dismiss the abnormal thermogram as a false positive. This is a missed opportunity for true cancer prevention.

Despite the current state of breast thermography, it has been investigated for over 30 years. In the index-medicus there are more than 800 peer-reviewed studies on breast thermography. The database represents more than 250,000 women, and the number of participants in many studies ranged from 37,000 to 118,000. Some of the women who had a positive thermogram were followed for up to 12 years; 35 percent of those who had a positive thermogram developed breast cancer.

What you can do

If an abnormality is identified on your thermogram, proactive steps can be taken to heal the breast tissue and progress can be monitored non-invasively through serial scans. If you don’t have access to a doctor who has digital IR equipment, you can take important steps for breast health:

Diet: Eat organically grown foods. Pesticides accumulate in fatty tissue and the breast can become a reservoir for estrogenic chemicals. Eliminate all caffeine, chocolate, monosodium glutamate, aspartame, and herbs that have estrogenic properties, especially soy. Studies found that soy supplements may increase the risk of breast cancer, especially in postmenopausal women.

or Exercise: Walking and swinging your arms will cause the lymph vessels to move. Decongesting breast tissue will reduce the risk of cancer.

o Eliminates hormones: Discuss options with your doctor to eliminate birth control pills and synthetic hormone replacement. The link between hormones and breast cancer has been confirmed.(5)

or Supplements: Many supplements have been shown to have a positive effect on breast tissue. Here are some examples:

one. DIM (diindolylmethane) the phytochemical found in cruciferous vegetables has anti-cancer activity and also works to repair damaged DNA.

2. Turmeric (curcumin) kills cancer cells and has strong anti-angiogenesis properties

3. drinking green tea or taking green tea extract capsules It has been associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer. All of these are available at your local health food store.

Women must drive this industry and put pressure on conventional doctors to do their work at home. The new cameras are digital and far superior to the cameras of 30 years ago. For women who are young, at high risk, have dense breasts, or want to be more proactive about breast health, a digital breast scan is the way to go.

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REFERENCES

(1) Elmore J., Choe J. Breast cancer screening for women in their 40s: moving from data controversy to helping individual women. Ann Intern Med. April 3; 146(7):529-31. 2007. PMID: 17404356

(2) Urbain JL. Breast cancer screening, diagnostic accuracy and health care policies. CMAJ. January 18; 172(2):210-1. 2005. PMID: 15655243

(3) Ibid. Urban JL

(4) “Survey Determines Impact of False-Positive Cancer Tests.” daily science. July 22, 2007.

(5) “Confirmed: a link between breast cancer and hormone therapy.” Scientific American.com July 26, 2007.

(6) Rahman KW. Gene expression profiling revealed survival as a target of 3,3′-diindolylmethane-induced cell growth inhibition and apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Cancer Res. 2006 May 1;66(9):4952-60. PM ID: 16651453

(7) Mosley CA Highly active anticancer curcumin analogs. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2007;595:77-103 PMID: 17569206

(8) Zhang M Green tea and the prevention of breast cancer: a case-control study in southeast China. Carcinogenesis. 2007 May; 28(5):1074-8. Epub 2006 Dec 20 PMID: 17183063