Wellness

[adoreqvc]

To get or not get a mamo I believe is a highly personal decision, but one needs to also remain very informed, and receive the best second opinion possible.

Also everyone must realize as our human bodies age, our immune systems become compromised, and there are also other medical diseases which come into play here as well. In view of this not all people have the option of choice when it comes to Cancer treatment of radiation and chemotherapy.

I had quite a few frightening situations where I had a few manmo's taken in a highly well respected Brooklyn N.Y., and Manhattan Radiology Center, and were given false positives in each case,  by the Head Radiologists.

I went to Sloan Kettering on more than 1 occasion, for complete evaluations & tests, and they reported no tumors in their various test results.  (False positives do more harm to females, and cause unnecessary fright, anxiety, and cardiac issues relative to constant worry).

Below is more information about mamograms...

Screening mammograms don't prevent breast cancer deaths, study finds

http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-mammogram-screening-does-not-save-lives-20150706...

Researchers Say Mammograms Don’t Really Work

http://www.breastthermographynyc.com/mammograms-results

Screening mammograms do more harm than good 

http://www.canceractive.com/cancer-active-page-link.aspx?n=1420

There are so many opinions both pro and con, about mamo's, so using your own judgement along with getting 2nd very qualified opinions are extremely important.

(FALSE POSITIVES ARE TOO DARN PREVALENT, SO WHEN IN DOUBT CHECK IT OUT WITH A CANCER SPECIALIST PROFESSIONAL).

FOR ME THE BEST CANCER ORGANIZATION SPECIALISTS WAS/STILL IS, THE  MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING  CANCER  CENTER IN MANHATTAN.

[Suziepeach]

The mammography technologist isn't the one reading mammograms- that would be a Radiologist, the ones I worked with were specialized in that one particular field. 

[LilacTree]

I just turned 78 and haven't had a mammo since my late fifties.  Since I am far from healthy and my daily life is less than enjoyable, I wouldn't even think of getting a mammo.  The chemo would kill me long before the cancer would.  It is a known fact that cancer cells slow down (as does everything else) in the aged.

[Tinkrbl44]

My gyno has had cancer ..... and his brother, also a doctor, is an oncologist.    They both err on the side of caution.

Not to mention, I have some supplemental policies (the Duck) and I receive a $150 a year Wellness benefit on one policy and $100 from another for getting a mammosquish, so you can be sure I'll get one!   

[curlywhitedog]

@Winkk

The will to live is an amazing thing but like most other decisions, factor in common sense, family history and age.  But to the point of what age is too old,  I disagree that 75 is elderly.  Old,  yes, elderly no..and the closer I get to my 70's the younger my 70's seem...lol.

My mom NEVER had mammograms but for some reason she began talking about having one at about age 80.  I was like "why now mom, why after all these years"?  Her answer was that if she had breast cancer (no reason to think she did) she'd want to know.  Further discussions with her revealed that never in a million years would she want (or could her aiging and frail body tolerate) chemotherapy which again begs the question "why"?   Her response of how often she heard about their importance was a curious one...important at age 35, not so much if you're just starting in your 80's (my personal opinion) unless all you're on is a fact finding mission and just want to know for the sake of knowing.

I am a cancer survivor (breast and uterine) and I've had more chemotherapy and radiation treatments than you can shake a stick at but in my wildest dreams could I not even consider putting my body through that in another 15 years.  Yet, having said that, I never cease to be amazed at how many do.  I see them coming in and out of my cancer center with their bald heads so in most cases treatment is a logical assumption.  Some are in wheelchairs, others come by ambulance and yet they come at ages that appear to be 80's and older which shows exactly how strong the will to live actually is. 

I don't think we need a study, the decision should be an individual one. 

Maria

[tedEbear]

  I didn't have chemo, well, the pill they have.  Chemo would have been too hard on me---------tedEbear

[151949]

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@adoreqvc wrote:

I have had some friends contract cancer, and those who decided upon the cancer treatment all said if they knew then, what they know now, they never would have opted in for chemo and radiaiton cancer treatments.

Many feel there is no 100% guarantee of a cure, and the truth for many was the realization that cancer treatments are far worse than the disease.

I believe once I reached 60 I decided to leave it in the hands of The Amighty, and there are many medical reports available to read on line (Google), which state even mamo's cannot acurately find many breast cancer tumors, and the techs who read the mamo results make plenty mistakes. 

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Just for your information - Radiology is a field of medicine where DOCTORS learn to read and interpret many various kinds of tests and it is a DOCTOR who reads your x rays be it a broken finger or a major MRI and everything in between. They also perform many types of procedures like angiograms.And read & interpret mammograms.

[fortune]

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@adoreqvc wrote:

I have had some friends contract cancer, and those who decided upon the cancer treatment all said if they knew then, what they know now, they never would have opted in for chemo and radiaiton cancer treatments.

Many feel there is no 100% guarantee of a cure, and the truth for many was the realization that cancer treatments are far worse than the disease.

I believe once I reached 60 I decided to leave it in the hands of The Amighty, and there are many medical reports available to read on line (Google), which state even mamo's cannot acurately find many breast cancer tumors, and the techs who read the mamo results make plenty mistakes. 

First of all, cancer treatments are NOT worse than the disease.  Cancer can kill you.  Not getting mammograms because some people have made mistakes diagnosing them isn't a very wise decision.  People make mistakes in every facet of medicine.  Does that mean we should avoid all medical care?  I am a breast cancer survivor and know what I'm talking about!!! 

At 60, one shouldn't be playing Russian roulet with the Almighty.  He sometimes gives people cancer.

Sorry if this seems mean, but I wouldn't be alive today if I had just left it up to the guy upstairs.  I believe He wouldn't have enabled man to learn how to cure cancer if He didn't want doctors to use this knowledge!

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[kismet]

I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 60.  No family history of cancer.  Started at 40 and got one every year at the breast center.  Had one in  Novemeber and it said I was clear.  A few months later my breast began to hurt.  At my age it's not normal.  Went to my Gyn and she said she thought it was just breast tissue changing.  I said I want it checked out.  I could feel a lump but it wasn't hard like I thought it would be and it wasn't small.  After an ultrasound the lump was found.  It was invasive by then.  My surgeon pulled the past 5 years of mammograms and said there was nothing there just like the one at 60.  Had a lumpectomy, radiation and took medication for 5 years. 

There were two women at radiation that had breast cancer.  One was about 78 and her daughter said she was senile. The other woman said 15 years earlier she had a mastectomy and here she was back with cancer in the other breast.  I would say she was in her mid 70s.  A friend of mine had a mother in law that was diagnosed at 92.  I asked my oncologist if they feel estrogen can cause cancer why do women get it after menopause.  He said they don't know.  So I have gotten an MRI every year since.  My oncologist said at 70 they usually don't recommend an MRI because of the kidneys and the dye.  Do I get one at 70 or take the chance?  I'm healthy but this is a choice for the MRI I have to make.  I do get the mammogram and then get the MRI 6 months later so I'm checked twice a year.  Right now I don't know.  By the way the 92 year old that got breast cancer the family just decided to not treat it and she died.  33% of breast cancers are not found on mammogram.  I was in that 33%.  My last mammogram was a 3D.  Better I don't know but hoping it's more accurate than the 2D. 

After going through breast cancer I would rather have a false positive than be told I have breast cancer.  It's a personal choice everyone has to make.

[sfnative]

@Winkk

A retrospective study would be the solution.  The physician or clinical group designing the study would meet with a biostatistician to determine the cohort of patients involved. 

In order to get "journal worthy stats," the retrospective study would have to include many thousands of females.