New Advances In Early Breast Cancer Detection

In November 2003, the American Cancer Societydoctors for many years. Recently published in
stated that breast cancer is the leading cause ofRadiation Research, 2004 the author suggests
death in women between the ages of 40 and 44.that the risks associated with mammography
In the United States, there are approximatelyscreening may be FIVE times higher than
200,000 new cases of breast cancer and morepreviously assumed and the risk-benefit
than 40,000 deaths; making the U.S. one of therelationship of mammography needs to be
countries with the highest death rate due tore-examined.
breast cancer. Perhaps the most alarming statisticThere exists a technology that can detect a
is 1: 8 women will eventually develop breastbreast issue YEARS before a tumor can be seen
cancer over their lifetime.on X-ray or palpated during an exam. This
One of the most powerful steps a woman cantechnology has been approved by the FDA as an
take to reduce her risk for developing breastadjunctive screening tool since 1982 and offers
cancer is to educate herself about theNO RADIATION, NO COMPRESSION AND NO
petrochemicals, or xenoestrogens that are in herPAIN. For women who are refusing to have a
environment and work to eliminate or reducemammogram or those who want clinical
them. Petrochemicals are “hormonecorrelation for an existing problem, digital infrared
disruptors” and it is through the unbalancingthermal imaging may be of interest.
of your hormone system that can lead toThermal cameras detect heat emitted from the
problems. These xenoestrogens are found inbody and display it as a picture on a computer
cosmetics, lotions and fingernail polish and polishmonitor. These images are unique to the person
remover. They are obviously found in pesticidesand remain stable over time. It is because of
and insecticides. What you may not be aware ofthese characteristics that thermal imaging is a
is that petrochemicals are found in plastics. If foodvaluable and effective screening tool.
is placed in a plastic container and reheated in theBreast thermography has undergone extensive
microwave, the plastic melts into your food andresearch since the 1950s. There are over 800
you ingest it. The harder the plastic, the morepeer-reviewed studies on breast thermography
resistant it is to this process but the potential forwith more than 300,000 women included in large
accidental xenoestrogen ingestion is still present.clinical trials. An abnormal thermogram is 10 times
Simply put, do not reheat food in plasticmore significant as a future risk indicator for
containers in the microwave.breast cancer than a first order family history of
Conventional screening methods all examinethe disease. A persistently abnormal thermogram
structure. For example, mammography usescarries a 22-fold higher risk of future breast
X-ray to examine breast tissue. Any structurecancer.
that has grown large enough to be seen by X-rayMedical doctors who interpret the breast scans
could be detected by mammography. However,are board certified and endure an additional two
mammography can have a high false positiveyears of training to qualify as a thermologist.
rate. In fact, only 1 in 6 biopsies are found to beThermography is not limited by breast density
positive for cancer when found byand is ideal for women who have had cosmetic or
mammography or clinical breast exam. This leadsreconstructive surgery. It is recommended that
to increased psychological stress, physical traumasince cancer typically has a 15 year life span from
and financial concerns.onset to death, that women begin thermographic
Other risks of mammography include the radiationscreenings at age 25.
exposure, although this has been debated by