The article, published on the AOL news site, states that
A government task force said Monday that most women don't need mammograms in their 40s and should get one every two years starting at 50 — a stunning reversal and a break with the American Cancer Society's long-standing position. What's more, the panel said breast self-exams do no good, and women shouldn't be taught to do them.
And all this in the interest of reducing stress levels? I guess the government is pushing for a "what you don't know, can't hurt you" plan.
I don't know about everyone else, but I would rather go in to have a biopsy and be told I was ok, than get my first mammogram at 50 and be told the cancer had spread so far there was little to no chance of survival.
And saying that breast self exams are useless? I would love to see the numbers on how many women have had their lives saved because of a BSE...
It seems to me the government is encouraging the population to be ignorant of their own health.
There is no history of breast cancer in my family, but all jokes aside, I love my boobs, and I couldn't imagine having them taken away from me, or having my LIFE taken away from me.
So I say SCREW the government. Early detection saves lives (and boobies), so please do your BSE every month. It could save your life.
Leave us a comment. We'd love to know what you think of this.
6 comments:
Wow. Just wow.
My friends mother was in her 40's when a BSE found a lump and she was diagnosed with breast cancer. I'm pretty sure she'd disagree with the positions that BSE's do no good, considering she's still alive today because of it.
I've been told BSE when you're nursing don't really help b/c your boobs change so much throughout the day. But when this little one weans I plan on doing my monthly exam, new guidelines be damned. Honestly, why not? It's not a complicated or time consuming thing to do.
My mom used to have a little waterproof instruction sheet hanging in the shower. I ought to find one of those...
i'm interested in 1. the science behind the two opposing viewpoints, 2. who is promoting which one, and 3. who is getting/giving money around this decision.
and i probably won't stop BSE's, and i'll check with my doctor at my girly exam in May.
cute chicken. nice foil.
yeah---no. just no. my sister was 38 y/o when she was diagnosed, 42 when she died. the lump was found during a monthly 'self' exam (actually my bro-in-law did them for her :D). My mom is a survivor, my aunt was not. things don't look good for my chances of living unscathed, so I would prefer earlier detection rather than later!
As piece of mind I plan on continuing with my monthly "self" exam, although with a slight change (thanks for the suggestion Juli) my husband can doing the examining. Sounds like a lot more fun ;)
I found my breast cancer through a self-exam, and I was 31 when I was diagnosed. If I had waited 20 years to age 50... well, I wouldn't have made it even half the way.
The stress of being told "you're terminal" I think outweighs the stress of checking once a month. Just sayin'.
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