Articles by Donna DiMarco

Too many women still confuse detection with prevention.  They are NOT the same.  Mammography can only detect cancer - there is no way it can prevent it once it’s already in the breast.  This problem is perpetuated by the media, which persists in sending out this wrong-headed message.  Further, mammography is also being promoted as a one-size fits all screening tool, even though we know that it does not work as well on women who have dense breast tissue, which is a common condition for premenopausal women and women who still continue to take hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Women are being lulled into a false sense of security by merely having a mammogram. Ionizing radiation is the only thing we know that definitive causes cancer (think Hiroshima). Radiation is cumulative in the body and is stored in the breast tissue. For some women, a sonogram may be a better screening tool. Since most breast cancers have a long latency period before they are diagnosed (10-20 years), some breast cancers have been caused by the amount of radiation a woman has been exposed to over many years. What is even more problematic is the idea that younger women with either a genetic mutation or a significant family history are encouraged to be screened beginning in their 30’s.  We simply don’t know that exposing these women to radiation so early will be the key that unlocks the gene that triggers a breast cancer. 

Here’s the criteria I use to determine the effectiveness of a mammogram. I tell women to get a copy of the radiologist’s report.  If the radiologist indicates that the breast tissue is very dense, then the benefit of mammography is limited.  By the way, density of breast tissue may change with a women’s menstrual cycle.  That’s why the best time for a woman to have a mammogram is after she’s had her period, but of course, no one tells women this either. Because of this, I created a handout “Getting the Best Mammogram”. I also created another handout “What Type of Screening Is Right For You?”, to help women make sense out of which is the best screening tool for them. I will gladly email these handouts to anyone who is interested.

I encourage women to educate themselves about breast cancer. Awareness of breast cancer is not the same as understanding the underlying issues. Sadly, education is not high on the list of priorities for doctors or most national breast cancer organizations that merely espouse conventional screening and treatment modalities. In these difficult times of managed care, it’s incumbent for all women to be proactive and engaged about their healthcare.
_______________

Sandra Blank
Executive Director
Florida Breast Cancer Resource Network
Email: bcfbcrn@aol.com