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| The arrow on this mammogram points to a small cancerous lesion. A lesion is an area of abnormal tissue change (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
A blockbuster Canadian study has added fuel to the already heated
debate concerning the benefits of regular mammograms. According to the
study, annual screening of women aged 40 to 59 did not lower breast
cancer death rates despite current recommendations that this age group
get mammograms every year.
The new research is convincing because of its scope and
thoroughness. For 25 years, researchers followed nearly 90,000 women who
were randomly assigned to either get mammograms or no screening. The
conclusion: Women getting mammograms were just as likely to die from
breast cancer as those who didn't get them.
What's more, experts warn that the radiation used in mammograms may actually cause cancer.
"I haven't been a fan of mammograms for years," Christine Horner,
M.D., a nationally known surgeon, author, and expert on breast cancer
who lives in San Diego, tells Newsmax Health. "I agree with all the
reasons stated in the study. I think it is much better to use technology
that doesn't use radiation such as thermography, ultrasounds, and
physical exams to detect breast cancer."
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