Dr. Mercola December 04 2008 188,651 views
The most devastating loss of life from breast cancer occurs between the ages of 30 to 50. Fortunately, you have more options available to you today to help detect breast cancer than in the past decades.
Unfortunately, education and awareness of these options and their effectiveness in detecting breast cancer at different stages in life are woefully deficient.
Beyond Mammography
In the first part of the in-depth article linked below, Beyond Mammography, Dr. Len Saputo explores the latest findings on the effectiveness and shortcomings of various detection methods used by the mainstream medical community, including mammography, clinical breast exams, ultrasound, and to a lesser extent, magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs) and PET scans.
The second part goes beyond mammography, exploring a highly advanced but much maligned detection tool for breast cancer -- breast thermography.
Breast thermography, which involves using a heat-sensing scanner to detect variations in the temperature of breast tissue, has been around since the 1960s. However, early infrared scanners were not very sensitive, and were insufficiently tested before being put into clinical practice, resulting in misdiagnosed cases.
Modern-day breast thermography boasts vastly improved technology and more extensive scientific clinical research.
In fact, the article references data from major peer review journals and research on more than 300,000 women who have been tested using the technology. Combined with the successes in detecting breast cancer with greater accuracy than other methods, the technology is slowly gaining ground among more progressive practitioners.
About the Author
Dr. Len Saputo, MD, is a graduate of Duke University Medical School, and is the Founder and Director of the Health Medicine Forum, which has hosted and moderated over 350 events. He's also the Co-founder and Medical Director of the Health Medicine Institute and Health Medicine Center, and runs a private practice in Internal Medicine and Health Medicine.
Breast cancer is the second most deadly form of cancer for women in the U.S. Only lung cancer claims more women’s lives than breast cancer.
According to Cancer.org’s latest report, Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2007-2008, 2007 ushered in more than 178,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer, and more than 40,000 women died from the disease.
But men are by no means immune to breast cancer. Just over 2,000 men were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007, and approximately 450 men died. Since routine screening for men is next to nonexistent, men are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced disease, and therefore have poorer chances for survival.
Unfortunately, conventional medicine is stubbornly holding on to outmoded ideas of cancer detection and treatment, no matter how ineffective it’s been proven to be.
Mammography is a perfect example of this stubborn head-in-the-sand approach to cancer screening.
Education and awareness of better, less risky and more effective options for detecting breast cancer are woefully deficient, but they do exist, and it is my hope you will take the time to review this important information, whether you’re a man or a woman, and forward it widely to your family and friends.
The Case Against Mammography
Health officials recommend that all women over 40 get a mammogram every one to two years, yet there is no solid evidence that mammograms save lives, and the benefits of mammograms are controversial at best.
Meanwhile, the health hazards of mammography have been well established.
John Gofman, M.D., Ph.D. – a nuclear physicist and a medical doctor, and one of the leading experts in the world on the dangers of radiation – presents compelling evidence in his book, Radiation from Medical Procedures in the Pathogenesis of Cancer and Ischemic Heart Disease, that over 50 percent of the death-rate from cancer is in fact induced by x-rays.
Now consider the fact that the routine practice of taking four films of each breast annually results in approximately 1 rad (radiation absorbed dose) exposure, which is about 1,000 times greater than that from a chest x-ray.
Even the American Cancer Society lists high-dose radiation to the chest as a medium to high risk factor for developing cancer.
How Mammography Increases Your Cancer Risk
X-rays and other classes of ionizing radiation have been, for decades, a proven cause of virtually all types of biological mutations. When such mutations are not cell-lethal, they endure and accumulate with each additional exposure to x-rays or other ionizing radiation.
X-rays are also an established cause of genomic instability, often a characteristic of the most aggressive cancers.
Additionally, radiation risks are about four times greater for the 1 to 2 percent of women who are silent carriers of the A-T (ataxia-telangiectasia) gene, which by some estimates accounts for up to 20 percent of all breast cancers diagnosed annually.
When everything is taken into account, reducing exposure to medical radiation such as unnecessary mammograms would actually likely reduce mortality rates.
The practice of screening mammography itself poses significant and cumulative risks of breast cancer, especially for premenopausal women.
Making matters even worse, false positive diagnoses are very common – as high as 89 percent – leading many women to be unnecessarily and harmfully treated by mastectomy, more radiation, or chemotherapy.
There are instances where mammography may be warranted. But the fact remains that there are other technologies that are proven to be more effective, less expensive, and completely harmless, that can save far more lives.
Now, imagine being able to look inside yourself and be able to get as much as 10 years warning that something is about to develop, giving you ample time to PREVENT the cancer from forming in the first place by taking the appropriate lifestyle changes that can radically change your health.
That technology already exists, and has been available since the 1960s.
Thermographic Breast Screening – A Safer, More Effective Alternative
Most physicians continue to recommend mammograms for fear of being sued by a woman who develops breast cancer after he did not advise her to get one. But I encourage you to think for yourself and consider safer, more effective alternatives to mammograms.The option for breast screening that I most highly recommend is called thermographic breast screening.
Thermographic screening is brilliantly simple. It measures the radiation of infrared heat from your body and translates this information into anatomical images. Your normal blood circulation is under the control of your autonomic nervous system, which governs your body functions.Thermography uses no mechanical pressure or ionizing radiation, and can detect signs of breast cancer as much as 10 years earlier than either mammography or a physical exam!
Whereas mammography cannot detect a tumor until after it has been growing for years and reaches a certain size, thermography is able to detect the possibility of breast cancer much earlier.
It can even detect the potential for cancer before any tumors have formed because it can image the early stages of angiogenesis -- the formation of a direct supply of blood to cancer cells, which is a necessary step before they can grow into tumors of size.
More men’s lives could also be spared from the disease as mammography is not frequently used on men, which leads to most men with breast cancer being diagnosed at a very late stage.
Other Risk Factors Commonly Ignored and How You Can Avoid Them
Breast density and high levels of circulating sex hormones are two commonly known risk factors for breast cancer in post menopausal women. A 2007 study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute confirmed that although the two factors commonly occur together, they are also independent risk factors.
They found that (after controlling for other factors) when breast density was not considered, women with high amounts of circulating sex hormones had twice the risk of developing breast cancer as those with low amounts. And, women in the highest one-quarter in density had four times the risk of those in the lowest quarter, without considering levels of sex hormones.
Women with both the highest hormones and densest breasts had up to six times the risk.
The authors of the study highlighted the importance of screening and, perhaps most importantly, maintaining a healthy, lower weight to help keep hormone levels lower. In fact, excess body weight and obesity plays a significant role in a number of cancer deaths, admits the American Cancer Society.
But there are other factors that will increase your risk of breast cancer that few ever bother to mention.
For example, a 2001 study published in the British Journal of Cancer discovered that women with breast cancer are twice as likely to have a fault in the gene required to make use of vitamin D. The research suggested that women with genetic variations (polymorphisms) of the vitamin D receptor gene may be less able to benefit from this protective effect.
Experts already believe vitamin D protects against breast cancer and in some forms may even be used to shrink existing tumors. According to recent research from Stanford University, optimal amounts of sunlight exposure may reduce your risk of advanced breast cancer by as much as 50 percent.
I believe sunlight is so imperative for disease prevention and for your overall health I even wrote a book on the topic called Dark Deception, which is due out shortly.Your omega-3 to omega-6 ratio can also play a significant role.
One study, published in the International Journal of Cancer in 2002, discovered that omega-3 fatty acids did indeed have a protective effect against breast cancer. This supports the imperative balance of your omega-3 to omega-6 ratio as being important in the development of breast cancer in the first place. This is just one of the many reasons why I recommend taking a high quality omega-3 supplement in the form of krill oil, which I have found to be the most effective and beneficial, compared to fish oil.
NHC - Where are you located?
curlilox, I don't know about eating alfalfa, but
'the goat that stinks on yonder hill
feeds every day on chlorophyll'
Ogden Nash :)
Lemon works great as a deodorant. I cut a lemon and keep it in the fridge. I am very fragrant if I do not use it. I have tried natural deodorants with no success. I rarely shave under my arms(I do not wear tank tops), but when I do the lemon does tingle a little. My mom had breast cancer and had a masectomy, so I am trying to be proactive. She did everything her doctor told her including drinking pop and eating donuts when she was going through Chemo! Thank God she has faith and a will to live!
Hi Dr John,
Thank you so much for posting on heavy metals & Breast cancer.
In my 26 yrs as a full time ND in Australia AND using a stunning GERMAN form of CONTACT-THERMOGRAPHY (Not the camera(Non-contact) based thermography Dr Mercola recommends) DENTAL-MERCURY-heavy metals rear-their-ugly-head repeatedly in all sorts of breast irregularities including breast cancer. The technology?
Amalgams are approx. 50% Mercury & the rest is made up of an amalgamation of Silver, Tin, Copper & Zinc. All known to be toxic especially Mercury.
W.H.O. say There is no minimum level of mercury which has been shown to be safe!
Alzhiemer's, MS, Immune System problems, effects on the brain and nervous system and direct poisoning from mercury and formaldehyde, are just some of the problems associated with current dental treatment.
There is another, largely unknown issue revolving around Amalgams called 'THE BATTERY EFFECT'.
Yes, your amalgams generate electricity! Why? Because the definition of a Battery is: '2 dis-similar metals in an electrolyte'. This will generate electricity from your metal fillings because your amalgam is an AMALGAMATION of 5 dis-similar metals (See above) in a sea of electrolyte which is your Saliva. Therefore only just one amalgam in your mouth can generate electricity, let alone sometimes dozens which can be present in some mouths.
A rough rule-of-thumb then is that IF you have metals in your mouth AND if you touch metal surfaces 'you-get-a-shock' then it is highly likely your metallic teeth are highly involved & these metal extracted before something-like anaphylaxis could manifest. Another rough rule-of-thumb would be that it is time to get your amalgams removed when you regularly start getting metallic tastes in your mouth.
My blog info www.naturalweightloss.pranicpulseoflife.com/dental-amalgams-damage-prana-weight-issues
For more STUNNING German Contact-thermography technology I use every day www.eidam.com/.../thermography.asp
How do you get rid of the toxic metals? I bought some PectaSol-C (modified citrus pectin). Do you think that is the best way to detox heavy metals?
Body odor is often not 'body' odor, actually the odor of clothes or body hair. change clothes and/or cut the hair and the bad odor is gone.
"Thermography uses no mechanical pressure or ionizing radiation, and can detect signs of breast cancer as much as 10 years earlier than either mammography or a physical exam!"
Wow, that bears repeating! From what Dr. Mercola says, the Thermography should be turning mammogram machines into 21st century buggy whips, suitable for museums that display torture devices used throughout history.
There is a general test for cancer, the HCG ImmunoAssay, that spots the disease about two years early. The advantage is that you don't need to go through a variety of tests such as getting up in the stirrups for a pap smear.
The downside is that the turnaround time for the test results is about six weeks. So one would want to use it as a screening rather than waiting until symptoms show up. The test doesn't spot the location of the cancer, but that's okay if you're treating yourself naturally because the location of the disease is't all that important.
hubpages.com/.../How-I-Cured-Stage-4-Cancer-in-Two-Weeks-For-Less-Than-The-Cost-Of-A-Night-At-The-Movies
The best to you.
Kelley Eidem
Together we can cure cancer - one person at a time!
In all the discussions on the state of health in the modern society, one recurring theme tends to be ... bad nutrition.
Indeed, if the body does not have good repair materials in adequate quantities available to maintain itself, then any little 'hick-up' in the state of health gets interpreted by the psyche (the REAL You inside your body) as an impending crisis and the individual suffers a DHS (Dirk Hamer Syndrom), verifiable on a CT-scan as an HH (Hamerscher Herd or 'Focus') and a Significant Biological Special Program of Nature (SBS) is being initiated, commonly referred to as Cancer!
People, please understand, that cancer manifestations are the result of the above mentioned program running and Dr. Hamer has identified the causes and the cures of these programs through thousands of impirical observations. Here is a scenario:
A slip of the tongue within a stressful situation will cause a 'death fright' response. Since we can survive for weeks without food, days without water but only minutes without air, a death fright is being interpreted as not getting oxygen! Therefore the lung capacity needs to be increased, if possible. But the chest cavity is not expandable enough, so more lung tissue needs to be created.
This is done by growing 'tumours' with 'temporary' cells. These cells produce much less electrical energy (20mv as opposed to 70+mv) which makes them recognisable to the body's own surgigical team, the TB bacteria. When the perceived conflict has been resolved, the tumour stops growing, caseates and is being removed by OUR FRIENDS, the TB bacteria! Upon completion of this activity, these bacteria once again become inactive and a part of our "immune system".
Check it out: germannewmedicine.ca/.../intrognm.html . Click on any or all SBSs to help yourselves understand more about this new medical paradigm called Germanic New Medicine or GNM. Don't panic, be well and prosper!
My daughter and her husband both have mobile (cell) phones, and rely upon them to keep in touch with everyone and also as organisers.
There is no way they will ever surrender them, unless they get prohibitively expensive to use (and possibly not even then ) and the evidence for damage becomes irrefutable. :(
Because of Dr M's stance on these modern 'must-haves' she has decided he is a quack and will not take anything he discusses seriously.
I tried :(
Heather:
re: your daughter judging Dr. Mercola a quack because of his mobilephone info -
The good doctor is not the only source for this info. Perhaps if you emailed your daughter (or gave her a physical page of the links if near you) links that also support this evidence, she at least could not deny that it is quite a buzz word. She would be foolish/in denial NOT to at least check out a few of the links. Just google dangers of mobile phones +cancer or +breast cancer etc. Be creative and supply more sources. IF after THAT effort on your part she still calls ALL the doctors (that support the evidance) or researchers 'quacks'...well, then you can give up and your daughter has a reality check problem...which is HER problem and not yours.
One of the problems with mobiles is the overuse (as with anything) of them. People 'qwatch' on them constantly for usually for nonsense info that one can easily convey later or on a normal phone. Mobile phones are best used for emergencies, brief important info, with or earphones if you want to be extra careful and kept off unless needed or if you occassionally need to check who called...in my opinion. (I know, people who 'need to be in business contact' will be appalled by this...but for the average person....?)
PEOPLE-PEOPLE-PEOPLE!
CANCER IS A SIGNIFICANT BIOLOGICAL SPECIAL P-R-O-G-R-A-M OF NATURE (SBS). THEREFORE, AS LONG AS THE P-R-O-G-R-A-M IS ACTIVE, THE CANCER IS ACTIVE! ONCE THE BIOLOGICAL CONFLICT IS RESOLVED, THE CANCER STOPS AND THE BODY ITSELF GOES INTO THE HEALING PHASE AND H-E-A-L-S THE 'CANCER'.
GLANDULAR BREAST 'CANCER' RESULTS FROM A 'WORRY CONFLICT'. -
DUCTAL BREAST 'CANCER' RESULTS FROM A NASTY 'SEPARATION CONFLICT'.
EITHER 'CANCER' HEALS, WHEN THE CONFLICT IS RESOLVED. CHECK IT OUT HERE!:
germannewmedicine.ca/.../intrognm.html . CLICK ON ANY AND ALL SBSs, TO INFORM YOURSELF WHILE YOU ARE HEALTHY, BECAUSE ONCE YOU ARE IN THE CLUTCHES OF THE PREVAILING MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENT .... YOU ARE TOAST!!!
Heather Marsh, sorry to hear that your daughter doesn't want to hear... but if it's of any help (and you feel like trying PatriSpain's idea) then a useful source could be The Bioinitative Report. It's quite scientific in it's language, but if your daughter spent even five minutes perusing the chapter titles and perhaps a summary of one or two of those chapters... well... you'd never know.
www.bioinitiative.org/.../index.htm immediately makes one aware of the chapter titles and as a good many begin with "Evidence for Effects on/for..." then she'll be left in no doubt that
1. there is indeed science backing up what Dr. Mercola says
2. Dr. Mercola is not the only one concerned about this topic.
Each chapter can be downloaded individually. Or the entire report in one go (in text near top of page).
Hi SafeCell!
Where can we get Thermography done here in Israel?
I have stopped my mammographies, but don't see any Thermography clinics here in Israel.
Hope you have better information than I do.
Take Care :-)