Petition Mammogram Guidelines American Cancer Society

I agree. My BC was missed in 2012 - actually it was seen but noted as an area that wasn't of concern. The next year, I was called back and the biopsy was positive. If mammograms were two years apart and BC was missed, you are looking at a four year growth time.

voracious,

I think very highly of your comments and observations. Can you please explain why you're thrilled? I know you will give us facts, not just anecdotes 😊

Thanks, caryn

caryn....if you read Dr. Brawley's book, How We Do Harm or Dr. H. Gilbert Welch's two most recent books AND follow the late Dr. Handel Reynold's book, The Big Squeeze, you will completely understand my satisfaction.

The easy answer is that for most women, here in The United States, POPULATION BASED MAMMOGRAPHY SCREENING SAVES LIVES, BUT NOT AS MANY LIVES AS WE ARE LED TO BELIEVE.

The new recommendation brings us closer to Canadian and European recommendations. Coming during Breast Cancer Awareness month should make more woman pause and begin to understand why the ACS issued this recommendation. You will hear that it is all about insurance companies saving money and all kinds of conspiracies. All kinds of radiologists are going to thump their chests and declare the absurdity of raising the age for screening. But, the bottom line is that there is a huge fault line with respect to exactly how many lives are actually saved by population based screening mammograms. And if you accept the reality that mammography is not a good means of finding aggressive tumors in patients younger than 45, then MAYBE we can begin an articulation on finding a better way of finding cancer for that age category.

You might ask, but we don't have a better means, so to be on the safe side, we should continue screening this category until something better comes along. But think about all of the wasted money being spent on a means of diagnosis that merely gives a false sense of security.

And, you might be thinking that if we do diagnose breast cancer earlier in that category of patients, they might be spared unnecessary aggressive treatment. Well that would be terrific and worth every penny. But again, what the studies have shown is that for too many patients, screening mammography is picking up breast cancers that would probably not lead to death.

What we need is better INDIVIDUALIZED screening. We are moving in that direction. And, what really excites me is that we are moving in the direction of blood biomarkers that will find cancer in our bodies BEFORE imaging can see it!

The folks at the Rare Breast Cancer Lab at Sloan Kettering have already discovered a biomarker that discovers progressions of metastatic disease WAY before imaging discovered it and even way, way before patients get symptoms! What this discovery means is that treatments can change more quickly which translates into longer lives!!!

The takeaway message is that population based screening mammograms save lives, but for some segments, it doesn't save that many lives and we deserve better! Hopefully, patients will understand their risks and understand better whether or not mammography screening is right for them. Screening should not be a one size fits all. Everyone needs to step back, understand their risk and make an informed choice.

Lastly, I wish to say, population based mammography missed both my and my cousin's tumors.

caryn....your situation also raises another important point that the radiologists fail to mention or explain in their chest thumping. If population based screening mammography was that effective, then we would have fewer Stage IV diagnoses right off the bat. But unfortunately, as you can see with yourself, you had a screening mammogram and 13 months later...BAM! You did everything right and yet you and so many others, according to the biostaticians, were wronged! My heart goes out to you and all our Stage IV sisters like yourself!

I just started a grassroots petition via change.org, and it is gaining momentum. Please take a moment to sign the petition and share with anyone else you think may be interested! Thank you so much!!

https://www.change.org/p/american-cancer-society-r...

Dvora Koelling

signed.

Hey all! Thought you might all be interested in participating in this campaign, supported by BCO:

You know our stance on the new ACS guidelines and we heard what you had to say.

Help us mobilize the entire breast cancer community around this "For 40" Campaign -- sign our Pictition with your Facebook photo if you believe women deserve a mammogram at 40. Don't wait, it could be too late. #40SavesLives

http://pictition.com/BCO40

Let us not confuse population based screening mammography with DIAGNOSTIC screening mammography. DIAGNOSTIC screening mammography saves many, many, more lives.

Moderators....it is very apparent that you "speak" on behalf of breastcancer.org which was founded by a radiologist who in subsequent years of founding the organization has become a breast cancer survivor. I wish all of those sisters who sign petitions favoring earlier age screening well. That said, I'm going to advocate for better awareness so women can make better informed decisions AND I will advocate for prevention, better means of diagnosis and most importantly for a cure.

I think the new guidelines are a step in the right direction.

I'm having mixed feelings at this point. The emotional fighting the rational. So, no strong opinion yet