Mammogram surprise-has this happened to anyone else?

#21

Unless there is a reason, mammograms are totally useless. And a waste of money for our health insurance. They are only a moment in time. People could envelop breast cancer the very next day. They really are useless except for the ((( extremely ))) few cases that they catch at that moment time. In the meantime, millions of women are getting mammograms for nothing. They aren’t even recommended in Europe anymore, unless there is previous cause for concern.

(57 yo female started keto Jul '19) #22

Please link to the statistics that shows mammograms are ‘totally useless’. In the Netherlands 70% of breast cancer cases is prevented by the mammograms (dutch link to show it, please use a translation site if you want to). That is not totally useless; that is 841500 women in that tiny little country only. These women do not need the very expensive cancer treatments.

And as an unrelated side effect: this was a very motivating experience for me to continue keto :smiley:

(Jane) #23

Well, it wasn’t “useless” for me as it caught my breast cancer while it was still Stage 1, so saved both my life and my breast as I was able to have a lumpectomy and radiation instead of a mastectomy.

I would have fallen into your “not needed” category as there is no history of breast cancer in my family and I was 49 at the time it was discovered on a mammmogram. I also had my well-woman exam the day before my mammogram and the doctor did not find any lumps.

#24

@Janie
Lucky you. You are one of those one in 5 million. Your cancer could’ve developed the day after your mammogram.

(Jane) #25

I suppose I was. I hadn’t had a mammogram in 5 or 6 years prior so glad I decided to have it done when I did.

I assume you do not get a mammogram ever? Or bother with pap smears for the same reason?

#26

@Janie
My last mammogram was probably 15 years ago. I live in Europe and they are not recommended here, unless there is a reason. Mainly because they cost a fortune if millions of women have them, and only 3 are found to be positive. Like I said - it is only a moment in time. Women can get breast cancer the day after they have had the mammogram. As for the rest - I had uterine cancer and was operated in 2014. Early stage, less aggressive type. No more uterus and no more ovaries. All gone. I go for check ups every 6 months. That is recommended.

(Jane) #27

I’m glad they discovered your uterine cancer early and you recovered.

I looked up some numbers for the US. 33 million mammograms ever year and 252,000 cases of breast cancer. Approximately 25% are discovered through manual exams looking for lumps so I assume 189,000 cases were discovered from mammograms. Divide that by 33 and you get 5700 cases per million people screened, not one in 5 million as you stated or 3 in millions of women.

What are you basing your numbers on?

Annual breast cancer deaths estimated to be 43,000 for women in the USA. It will be interesting to see how that will compare to deaths in the US to women by the COVID virus, if it ever slacks up.

#28

@Janie
I am sure you will be forever grateful for your mammogram and that it caught your cancer early. It is not recommended in Europe. The few cases that are discovered dont make it viable, and as I said- women can develop breast cancer the next day and the mammogram is simply a moment in time. Its a bit like pot luck if you are diagnosed at that moment in time. 5700 cases per million is a drop in the bucket-which is what I was trying to convey metaphorically. But I am certain that every one of those women is happy to have been found out. Another interesting factor would be how many of these women were saved because their cancer was detected early enough? In addition, breast cancer comes in 6 forms and goes from less aggressive to most aggressive. Breast cancer can be healed but there are cases which cant. It is really one of the weirdest types of cancer around, with a few cases of spontaneous healing found too. But I know a few women who had it here, none of which were found in a routine mammogram - two were healed with chemo and or radiation, the other died after 8 years of treatments at the young age of 62. It is a very diverse group of patients.

(57 yo female started keto Jul '19) #29

It is in my country, The Netherlands, which is one of the many countries in Europe :nerd_face:

(Jane) #30

I think mine was the slow growing type and since it had been so long since my previous mammo there is no telling how long it had been there.

I got the same technician 2 years in a row here and we spend the whole time talking keto. Two years ago she asked about weight change and I told her I was down over 30 lbs from the previous year. She asked me how and when I said keto she brightened up and said she ate keto too. Kinda rare in rural Arkansas.

#31

@Annja
Not in Switzerland and not in Germany
Think of the costs of millions of mammograms on people that turn up nothing. Those who recommend it want to make money- especially after investing in such a machine.
And I am in the care of the head gynaecological oncologist at the University Hospital. This professor never suggested a mammogram to me and told me to examine myself regularly.
In a way- it is like our belief to never eat butter. It has stuck in our heads that mammograms must be taken every 5 years. Its like a myth that you cannot get out of our heads.

#32

@Janie
2 years? How often do you have a mammogram?

(Jane) #33

Annually.

We have a for-profit medical system here and it’s big business.

#34

@Jane
Yeah- for profit- I know. So sad. I remember when a colleague of mine who moved back to America told me the the insurance companies are calling the shots. I was astounded. This was like the end of the 80s.
But you have had breast cancer so then that makes sense. There are reasons for mammograms. But not for mass screening.

(Susan) #35

I have had one Mamogram so far, and I am due for another one – when all this Virus stuff settles down I will be booking a full medical, including pap, mamogram, and blood work.

I was adopted at 6 weeks of age, and I don’t know any of my medical history, so I feel way more comfortable in having all these tests done and keep on top of my health.

(Peggy Way) #36

Yes and so sorry for not getting back to say. All gone except for a little blip on the screen. I asked if the little blip would go away and the technician said no. This was January 2020. I guess I’ll find out about that next year because I’m staying keto and anytime I feel a little general puffiness (wrists, ankles, weight up, etc) I go carnivore for a while.

(Susan) #37

This is probably similar to the spot I have on my lung --they do a scan yearly to make sure that it is not growing; but my doctor said that it is likely just scar tissue from all the multiple times that I have had pneumonia over the years. I have had it for a few years now; so as long as it doesn’t grow, they are not worried. If they are not worried about your blip, I am guessing that it is a similar type of thing. It is always wise to keep on top of these things though, for sure. I am very glad that your breasts are fine and that you have nothing to worry about though!!! I am definitely going to get checked myself once the world is back to more normalcy =).