Mammogram or Thermogram? What’s best?

Right breast cancer (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Here we are again in Breast Cancer Awareness Month, when pinkwashing reigns and we’re all reminded to get a mammogram.

I stopped getting mammograms in 2008 and have thermograms instead. Why? Because I have a family member who’s quite certain that repeated mammograms and invasive procedures led to her breast cancer and I don’t need any more exposure to radiation. Until recently, I had to travel 50 miles to get one so I was very pleased when our owner decided to host a thermography clinic with Radiant Health Imaging right here in our store.

What is thermography? Here’s how it’s explained on their website:

• Thermography offers a painless, non-invasive, state-of-the-art clinical test without any exposure to radiation…
• When used as part of an early detection program, thermography gives women (and men) of all ages the opportunity to increase their chances of detecting breast disease at an early stage.
• Thermography can detect disease and injury by revealing the thermal abnormalities present in the body.

If you are looking for a comprehensive overview of  breast thermography and its health benefits, you will not want to miss this interview with Dr. Mercola and a Board Certified Thermographer. You’ll learn a thermogram can detect a cancerous mass 8-10 years before mammography or a physical exam! (How’s that for motivation to get one?!) Inflammation is the root cause of most cancer and chronic diseases.

Are mammograms safe?

There’s been a lot of controversy regarding the frequency of mammograms, especially for younger women. With thanks to Breast Cancer Action, here’s What You Should Know About Mammograms and their potential health risks:

1. Mammograms do not prevent breast cancer. They only detect cancer that’s already there.
2. Mammography is a form of ionizing radiation. You should be thoughtful of your exposure to radiation.
3. The quality of a mammography screening varies widely. Make sure your breast center is accredited by the American College of Radiology – call 1-800-4-cancer.
4. Mammography is a flawed test. (This one’s important!) It misses 10% of all tumors, and 25% of tumors in women younger than 50. In addition, “false positives” cause women under 50 who have mammograms to be twelve times more likely to have unnecessary biopsies than women over 50. Pre-menopausal women are more likely to have dense breast tissue, which appears white on an x-ray, as does cancer.
5. Mammography has been proven to lower mortality only in women ages 50-65.  The cancer mortality rate for this age group could be be reduced by as much as one third. For women 40-49, trials have shown no consistent effect on mortality. Healthy women younger than 50 should not have routine mammograms. The risk of radiation, combined with the high incidence of both false negatives and false positives, means that routine MAMMOGRAPHY FOR WOMEN UNDER 50 MAY WELL DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD.(emphasis mine)
6. Mammograms should be part of, rather than all of, a breast cancer detection program.

BTW – if you have breast implants, thermography is preferred over mammography.

In the meantime contact your insurance company and tell them they should be paying for thermograms. If you don’t speak up, nothing will change!

We all have cancer cells in our bodies. Don’t let fear of cancer dominate your thinking – fight back! A thermogram is a great way to start!

If You’re Concerned About Breast Cancer…What You Must Know

Mammograms Linked to an epidemic of Misdiagnosed Cancer

Thermography: Not a Perfect Alternative to Mammograms