Study Shows Women Aren't Getting Mammograms
Monday May 14, 2007
A new study shows that the mammography rates among women in the U.S. is dropping, about four percent over five years to be exact. The rates dropped to sixty-six percent from seventy through 2000 to 2005.The study appeared in this week's edition of the journal Cancer. Why aren't women getting mammograms as recommended? It could be a variety reasons from longer wait times, lack of health insurance, concern over the safety of mammography and more. The point is that women are not getting getting screened for breast cancer. Early detection is key and having a regular mammogram is a highly effective screening tool for breast cancer.
What You Need to Know About Mammograms and Breast Cancer
- 6 Breast Cancer Symptoms Most Women Don't Know
- What to Expect During a Mammogram
- How Often You Should Have a Mammogram
- 4 Tips for a Less Painful Mammogram
Comments
I’m glad you asked. In all the news coverage about this, the “experts” seem puzzled as to the drop in mammogram rates, and they put forth a number of theories as to why this is so – generally preferring to state that women are uninformed, unaware, confused or just plain stupid. Or some combination of all of those. They are stymied by the fact that the biggest drop off is among educated, middle and upper middle class women over 50. Somehow, they never think to ask real women. So, first, thank you for asking.
I am 53 and have made the decision, after a great deal of research and thought, to discontinue routine mammography. I question the safety of subjecting my breasts to continual x-rays. I question the efficacy of routine mammograms – the numbers on whether or not it actually saves lives are confusing, contradictory and to this CPA, they appear to be just plain cooked. The only actual worthwhile testing of mammography – the Scandinavian and Canada tests – showed absolutely no advantage in having routine mammograms.
I question the identification and treatment of DCIS. There are no studies that shows DCIS somehow turns into invasive breast cancer, yet women are being pressured to have their breasts amputated and to have dangerous radiation treatments for the “pseudo disease”. BEfore mammography, this “disease” was virtually unknown. The book that really made up my mind on this was “Should I Be tested for Cancer” by Gil Welch, an MD on the faculty of Dartmouth.
Beyond this, I am tired of the panic caused by all the false alarms – I’ve had them and my friends have had them and the fear is terrible. I’m tired of the test itself, which I find humiliating. The last time I went they tried to give me some young guy as my tech. I just said “no way”. I finally got them to have a woman do it, but it was embarrassing to have to argue this point in front of everyone, and many women might have just given up and just accepted the extra embarrassment of have a guy handling their breasts.
Finally, I am just so darned tired of the in-your-face pink ribbon lobby, that has terrorized so many women. I’m tired of constantly going on search and destroy missions against my own body. I’m tired of looking at my breasts as potentially toxic hazards to my life.
All in all, the fear and embarrassment surrounding mammography, and the unproven benefit of it, have made me decide I’m just not putting myself though it anymore.
Thank you again for asking.
I agree completely with nan m. My last mammogram was a nightmare I’m still fighting to recover from. Here in Longmont Co at United Imaging an incompetent tech did an ultrasound on me that left me looking like a baseball bat had been taken to my breast. I couldn’t sleep for two nights because I couldn’t stand to have a sheet touch my breast and if I dozed off and rolled on my side the slight pressure on my breast was unbearable. I had cyst, they don’t kill you, the’re not dangerous, but I went thru a physical assault to find that out. My breast were xrayed 12 times on the left and 9 times on the right, I’m very concerned that that amount of xrays in a three week period has poisoned my breast. The stress my husband and I went thru Feb. and early March of 2006 was ridiculous when I now know it wasn’t even a little life threatening. I’ve been told by other women that if I had cyst, they will come back and I’ll be subjected to the same hell every year. Not me. With insurance I paid $1600.00, I was suppose to get a $550. refund after I complained. But Longmont United Hospital issues bills with demands that they will “destroy and bury you” when you owe them but they can’t bother refunding what they owe you. This entire experience left me alienated from MY breast and unable to even apply lotion because my breast were so sensitive and constantly in pain. A chinese acupunture doctor has helped restore my health after this horrible ordeal, I can touch my breast and wear a bra without constant pain. In sharing this with family and friends mostly my age 54 or older I was surprised to learn out of 43 women 6 have these yearly mammograms. I will no longer blindly listen to my doctor. I’ll never put myself or my breast (which are part of me duuh) thru that again. I urge other women to take a long hard look at our system which operates on profit not health. United Imaging and Longmont Hospital made over $2000.00 on assaulting me my breast and my husband. I’ve been in pain and really stressed out since Feb. 28, 06 pain has stopped May 25, 07. Now do you really want to get a mammo or ultra sound. think it over and look at all the facts as nan m and I have (Michele) and at least 37 women I know. Just say NO
I totally agree with the two posters above. And,thank you for asking!!! I am middle aged, upper middle class and have a post grad degree. I went for four years without getting a mammogram. I didn’t have insurance for three of them and the fourth one, I just plain didn’t want, yet again, the excruciating experience of waiting for the results. I am 62 years old and have only had one call back in all the years I have been having mammograms. I did not start having them until I was 47 to the consternation of my doctors. My one call back was handled fine so one might ask, why am I not doing regular mammograms?! Because I hate the whole process and the fear that is brought up every time I go for that one test. I have decided to not do the test every year. I just went through a fear ladden weekend ‘waiting’ for the dang phone to ring. I had my mammo last Friday and the powers that be told me that I would get a call from them if I needed to come back by yesterday (Tuesday) Today, when the imaging section called me, I nearly had heart failure. They were just calling me to tell me to pick-up my films(from 03) but that was when I decided enough is enough. The whole breast cancer campaign is built on fear. I have a friend who was just diagnosed with DCIS. She is having a lumpectomy (with general anesthesia) and then radiation for 6 weeks. The radiation may later cause her to get lung cancer but the DCIS may not do a darn thing if left alone. This is a very controversial diagnosis and treatment. Well, I have had my vent and I am really glad someone has finally asked the question and not made assumptions about why many women aren’t having their mammograms.
I just so happened to stumble across this site and I, too, and happy to be asked this question. First of all, I’m an educated 50-year-old woman (a CPA) who has decided to forgo the annual mammogram for various reasons. At the age of 40-years-old I religiously ‘obeyed’ doctors’ orders and started my yearly dose of radiation to my breasts. Well, hours after the first time I had my breasts radiated they felt like they were on fire! I called my brother who is a RADIOLOGIST and, of course, said it was due to the compression and not the radiation because my skin would have been burned if I was really given too much radiation. Ok, point believed. But he also told me radiation stays in our tissues forever and it accumulates over time, so less is always better.
Every year, though, for some odd reason, the technician looks at my ‘picture’ and needs to do a repeat x-ray. One tech said “my head was in the way.” How could my head ever be in the way? Was that subject to radiation, too? So, not only is it two pictures that needs to be done, it’s usually three.
Next – for some reason I’m always called back for a magnified view. That means MORE radiation. And then I go for these further views and they always follow-up with ultrasound anyway. So, why bother with those unnecessary pictures to begin with?
And finally I had some microcalcifications one time and had to do a biopsy. Well, here again, the radiologist had to re-do the X-rays TWICE because he couldn’t complete the biopsy the first time. Seriously, no one cares about this mass radiation to our breasts. I’m convinced so many of us have breast cancer because of careless and excessive use of radiation on our breasts.
My research reveals that low-dose radiation actually could be more dangerous than higher doses because our bodies can respond to high doses and ‘deal’ with it appropriately, but when they’re low doses, it’s very dangerous to our health.
And last but not least, how does this sound? After one of my mammograms the tech called me in her office and said “I need to re-do your X-ray. Look at this big mass here.” While pointing to a mass on my picture I thought I was going to faint. The heat rushed to my face and I barely heard anything more. Her words of reassurance that it probably wasn’t cancer and simply a cyst because it was so round in shape didn’t help and that can help explain why I refuse to take any more mammograms!!!
I think it’s time to stop using our breasts as expendable radiation experiments and let us educated women really stand up for ourselves and not allow cancer-causing machines to be anywhere near our precious body parts!
I agree with all the above comments. I am 45 years old, have never had a mammogram and do not intend to. I have read all the research and the arguments on both sides and I am very concerned about the cumulative radiation exposure as well as the severe compression and potential tissue damage or aggravation of existing abnormal tissue. In spite of being constantly bullied, badgered, threatened and accused of being ignorant, etc., I simply cannot convince myself that traumatizing and irradiating my breasts is conducive to good health. I figure I am better off hedging my bets by growing my own organic vegetables, not smoking, healthy lifestyle, exercise, vitamins, etc. The British Medical Journal actually admitted that for every 40 women whose lives are saved by mammography, another 1 woman will die from radiation induced cancer – however, the article went on to recommend mammography anyway, because society considers the loss of that 1 life an “acceptable risk”! It also is well known that mammography is not very reliable, has a high rate of false positives and false negatives, especially in premenopausal women and those with dense or fibrocystic breasts. However, we are told not to worry about the radiation or the failure rate and just submit to the barbaric procedure because the doctors supposedly know what is good for us. By the way, I have an M.A. and have worked in the medical field since 1992 and the longer I work in mainstream medicine, the less confidence it inspires.
As soon as men get thier testicles screened for cancer by putting then in a machine that compresses them then I might consider having a mammogram. The bottom line is that since we are always sent to get ultrasounds as a follow-up, why be tortured to begin with? The research suggests that the exam itself could greatly contribute to the incidence of cancer between the radiation and the compression. I am a college educated 47 year old. Thank -you for asking although I doubt anyone will care or do anything but call me and the other women that responded “kooks” or ignorant for not following “prevailing wisdom”. I have a degree in biology, a minor in Chemistry and I can see that this is all about the Benjamins, baby.
Wow–I could have written any one of the above comments. They all portray my feelings–exactly!! I’ve just come from my annual physical, and my physician is upset that I have not had a mammogram in three years. I’m a 50+ professional woman with a college education, and have been agonizing over whether I should follow his instructions, and I just can’t. I feel that these tests are just wrong, wrong, wrong at my very gut level.
I know there have been studies that agree!
With all the money that has been raised for this disease, you would think someone out there could come up with a better screening test! I think the docs are more concerned about their malpractice insurance than they are about us!
I have rejected all cancer screening after doing my own research – it’s not easy to get to the truth – so many people are making money from cancer screening.
I believe women are being harmed by this testing – we’re not given the chance to make an informed consent – the benefits are overstated and the risks go unmentioned…
We’re bullied by GP’s who get bonuses for recruiting women into these tests.
Many women end up with false positives and unnecessary follow-up – horribly invasive procedures – a few healthy women end up with permanent damage to the cervix after unnecessary LEEP procedure.
I think it’s scandalous that a woman can’t see a GP for a cold without being hassled about screening.
Professor Michael Baum is one of the few doctors to speak truthfully about this testing – his research and comments are enlightening and shattering at the same time. How can this be allowed to go on? Women being harmed psychologically and physically in the most intimate way so others can make money and maintain control of our bodies.
I rejected screening after doing my own research but still get hassled on almost every visit – so I tend to stay away from doctors.
Women now live in fear of their own bodies – we’re being harmed by our doctors.
Say No – do your own research and risk profile and make an informed decision.
If a GP refuses me birth control until you submit, report them to the AMA…
These programs IMO are now an abuse of womens rights.
I’m so glad to see other women feel the same way. I’m mad at myself right now for caving in to getting a mammogram because I’m going to be 40 soon. Two weeks of worry, an uncaring call from the doctor’s office to return, a second trip for more radiation and a consultation with the doctor to tell me there’s nothing and the kicker–a recommended rescreening in 6 months because I had a call back. It’s not happening. When I tried to tell her my feelings about her uncaring staff that called and my questions about the legitimacy of the test at all–no indications to need screening, no family history, healthy in every other way, she didn’t even listen to me. I’m refusing to be put through the cattle chute again. My husband agrees after seeing the stress it caused. My blood pressure (which is normally slightly below “normal” was HIGH). That’s causing harm. Thanks for everyone sharing so I know I’m not alone.
hi all….first mamo at 55..been basically healthy except for asthma since childhood…..
no major issues except for aches and pains……normal much for age i guess…well prelim results of digital mamo loosely clustered microcacifications on left breast 12 oclock…….have to go for repeat magnification…am a nurse and strongly disagree except for the fact my very close coworker had the same had cancer diagnosis same day week later mastectomy…..wow scarry but mayo clinic says most are benign..agree no more rads for my boobs..follow up 3/10/2009 with second mamo….not sure but dont want to die fast and hard either…..
I just canceled my mammogram again for the third time. I am 45 and this is my first. To say I am terrified would be an understatement.
No other medical procedure has had this effect on me. Perhaps it is due to every woman I have ever spoken with telling me it is the most painful and horrendous experience of their lives. Why in the world would I willing do this to myself?
I don’t know that I will reschedule my appointment, I really don’t. I probably won’t. The terror is to strong.
Tammi, It’s not advisable to have screening before you’re 50 or 55 – younger breast tissue is dense and very hard to read…
If you’re worried, consult a breast cancer physician for a clinical breast exam every 2 years.
I’m 51 and won’t be having mammograms – it disgusts me the dishonesty surrounding cancer screening – women are deceived and manipulated to get us into the programs – it’s highly unethical.
Take a look at cervical screening while you’re doing your homework – an unreliable test for an uncommon cancer…that means lots of women harmed by false positives.
This information is withheld by the screening lobby. The statistics say it all…Dr Angela Raffles, a UK cancer screening expert states that 1000 women need to have regular screening for 35 years to save ONE woman from cervical cancer!
Yet almost 78% of women having 2-yearly smears will have biopsies, with only a very small number having any cancer.
It saddens me to see so many women living in fear – of their bodies, the next smear or mammogram, biopsies, results, pain…and we’re doing this to healthly women – it’s madness.
I suggest you take a look at anything by Professor Michael Baum, a top UK breast cancer surgeon – he helped set up the first breast screening clinic and now has MAJOR reservations about mammograms and self examination.
I applaud the doctor’s brave enough to tell us the truth – there are so many vested interests in cancer screening – so many people chasing votes and money.
I’m sick of that pink ribbon to promote “breast cancer awareness”. How could we help but be aware of it, the way it is constantly pounded into our heads by the media and doctors? I’m also sick of the races with money going to the American Cancer Society, an organization which has failed to find a cure for cancer in almost 100 years.
I have a college degree and am upper middle class, but the last mammogram I had was in 1999. I was called back for more radiation due to loosely clustered microcalcifications. I was advised to have a biopsy. I took my X-rays to a second radiologist and asked, “Should I get a biopsy?” She said, “Well….I have to say yes.” I could tell from the way she emphasized “have to” that she was thinking about malpractice. I decided not to have the biopsy. Ten years later, I am glad I didn’t. I have no lump, no symptoms at age 63.
In addition to the book mentioned by the first poster, which is excellent, I have also read “Ten Malignant Medical Myths” by Joel Kauffman, PhD. I think those two books clinched my decision to never have another screening mammogram. Dr. Kauffman’s book shows the results of all large studies, explains how the statistics are manipulated, and makes it clear that early treatment before a lump can be felt is not better than over-treating a microscopic pre-cancer such as DCIS.
Then there are other studies about how biopsies themselves may spread DCIS, turning it into metastatic cancer. One study, which I found very intriguing, showed that DCIS sometimes appeared and disappeared over a period of years without treatment. Imagine having a mastectomy and radiation for something which you later learn might have disappeared on its own!
So, for all these reasons, intelligent women are beginning to resist being herded by the money-making cancer industry. I believe in questioning conventional wisdom and not just blindly obeying your doctor. Do your own research! Once George Washington’s doctor followed the conventional wisdom of the time and bled him until he died. I have a feeling that mammograms and our current treatment of cancer will one day be seen as just as barbaric and ignorant as we see blood-letting today.
I am 51…never had a mammogram. Something about it does not feel right. My doctor is checking my hormones since she feels I may going into perimenopause.
I told her I did not want the mammo. She told me if I do not get it she will refuse to give me bio-identicals if I need them.
So now I guess I will have to find another doc. I do the monthly checks, never any problems. I have been using a salt stick for deodorant for over 20 years cause I worried about the aluminum.
I am healthy, just having fatgue which may be the hormones. I do not like being forced to have this done when it is my body and dammit if I don’t want it…too bad.
I am larger size in the chest and this worried me cause it mentions problems with larger sized chests in this procedure.
I worried that if there was a false positive or some BS they will have me scared to death. Should they diagnose me with BrCa then insuring me will be a total nightmare in the future. It is just not worth it. I have no symptoms.
Same with hormones..all of the women taking pregnant mare urine for hormones? Hello? and all of the other synthetic stuff they try to make us take when we should be using what is closest to our own body. BrCa is rare in Okinawa for instance and they eat “imo” wild yam..most of the women there do not have symptoms going into menopause as we do here.
I think I will try to seek out a natuapath.
Again, thanks for all of the info here.
I did what I never do…trust doctors.
Instead of doing my homework first, I went along for my first mammogram at 50 (like a good girl)
What a nightmare!
Called back, repeat mammogram, CBE, ultrasound and finally, multiple biopsies in my right breast.
My anxiety levels were sky high (that can’t be good for your health) – I had to return the next day and get my results.
An awfully long night – awake all night planning my final few months on this earth.
It was nothing…a false positive
I’ve since done my research and spoken to a few senior doctors (academics…more likely to tell you the truth) and won’t be having any more mammograms.
False positives are just one major problem…there is also the 40% of older women who’ll have ductal carcinoma in situ…a slow moving cancer unlikely to bother you, but once biopsied, it can become aggressive and once diagnosed, the breast usually comes off (Dr’s afraid of being sued)
Also, a new highly regarded study by Nordic Cochrane Institute which suggests you are more likely to get breast cancer with regular mammograms! They’re not sure if it’s the radiation or damage to breast tissue or both….
NEVER dream of having a mammogram before 50 (if you choose to have them at all)…your breasts are VERY difficult to read before 50 so you’re more likely to be harmed by screening.
US women are pushed into this stuff from 40…they’re also pushed into lots of unnecessary and invasive exams.
There is enormous dishonesty and unethical tactics used to push women into screening to their detriment.
Women around the world really need to stop and question the value of this screening and demand to be told the risks and limitations of this screening.
Too many women are being harmed….
No more screening for me….the risks far exceed the benefits.
I’m 48 years old and I’ve been refusing to have screening mammograms because I’ve felt the benefits are overstated and the risks understated. My doctor seems to feel its her mission to harass me into submission to have screening mammograms. I recently did find a newly developed large lump which turned out to be a cyst (I knew it was a cyst as I’ve had them in the past ). I’ve had several cysts in the past & could tell what it was. But do you think I could convince my doctor to attempt a simple aspiration? No way. In order to receive treatment for the cyst, I had to submit to a mammogram/ultrasound assault, followed by ultrasound guided aspiration at the local hospital. In the past, I was referred to a surgeon who dealt with the cyst in a simple office visit. What a waste of resources. I will continue with my screening mammogram refusals. I will, of course, do BSE to check for lumps but will not be a victim of the pink ribbon brigade.
Ladies, you may care to look at the new information leaflet released by the Nordic Cochrane Insitute on the risks and benefits of breast cancer screening.
The NCI have been highly critical of the scant information provided to women with virtually no risk information. They have called for screening authorities to redraft the brochures. The UK redraft is still grossly inadequate. The NCI have decided to take some action…thankfully!
The screening people will never draft an honest assessment of the test because they want women to have screening…they don’t want us put off worrying about risks.
They get rewarded for a decrease in death rates and are not penalised for harming lots of women in the process.
We have to protect our rights, bodies and health from our doctors…what a sad state of affairs.
I thought the motto of the medical profession was to do no harm….I suppose that doesn’t apply if money and politics come into play.
I really believe this testing has more to do with money and politics than women’s health.
Just the way it is demanded of women is disrespectful and unethical.
Informed consent is necessary for all cancer screening because all cancer screening has risks.
I’m hopeful the NCI will draft other leaflets on other screening tests.
It seems to me the usual approach is to aggressively push screening, keeping all the risks well hidden…
Totally unacceptable…
I won’t take a doctor’s word on any screening test in the future.
http://www.screening.dk/folder_uk.pdf