| Breast cancer strikes fear in the hearts of all women. | | | | Why aren't doctors routinely recommending this test? |
| Most of us have known someone-a friend, a family | | | | Why don't they offer it in their office? An abnormal |
| member, a co-worker, a neighbor-who has been | | | | scan cannot be corrected with a drug. Conventional |
| treated for breast cancer or worse, has died from | | | | doctors are not trained to use vitamins, supplements |
| the disease. Historically, breast cancer was diagnosed | | | | and detoxification, essential tools for repairing |
| after a woman sought medical attention for soreness | | | | damaged physiology. If a woman has a normal |
| or a palpable mass. Annual mammograms became the | | | | mammogram, the abnormal thermogram is dismissed |
| "gold standard" for breast cancer screening; the goal | | | | by physicians as a false positive. This is a missed |
| has become to find tumors before they can be felt. | | | | opportunity for true cancer prevention. |
| However, mammography is a late test. It does not | | | | Despite the current status of breast thermography, it |
| prevent cancer; it detects cancer. Women place | | | | has been researched for over 30 years. More than |
| unreasonably high hopes on the ability of the | | | | 800 peer-reviewed studies on breast thermography |
| technology to reduce their risk of cancer. A recent | | | | exist in the index-medicus. The data base represents |
| study, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, | | | | more than 250,000 women and the number of |
| reported that women typically overestimate the risk | | | | participants in many studies ranged from 37,000 to |
| reduction capability of a mammogram by more than | | | | 118,000. Some of women who had a positive |
| 100-fold.(1) | | | | thermogram were followed for up to 12 years; 35 |
| Mammograms give a false sense of security about a | | | | percent of those who had a positive thermogram |
| clean bill of health. The sensitivity, or the number of | | | | went on to develop breast cancer. |
| women who have cancer and also have a positive | | | | What you can do |
| mammogram, ranges from 54%-58% among women | | | | If an abnormality is identified on your thermogram, |
| under age 40 to 81%-94% among women over 65. | | | | pro-active steps can be taken to heal the breast |
| In women 40 to 65, the ability of a mammogram to | | | | tissue and progress can be monitored non-invasively |
| identify a tumor depends on many variables: The size | | | | through serial scans. If you don't have access to a |
| the lesion, hormone use, breast tissue density, the | | | | physician who has digital IR equipment, you can take |
| overall image quality and the interpretative skills of | | | | important steps toward breast health:o Diet: Eat |
| the radiologist. | | | | organically grown foods. Pesticides collect in fatty |
| Cancer is identified in only a small fraction of women | | | | tissue, and the breast can become a reservoir for |
| (0.1%-0.5%, depending on age) who are screened. | | | | estrogenic chemicals. Eliminate all caffeine, chocolate, |
| Studies have demonstrated that for each death | | | | MSG, aspartame, and herbs that have estrogenic |
| prevented by screening, there are at least 200 | | | | properties, especially soy. Studies found that soy |
| false-positive results.(2) The number of follow-up | | | | supplements can increase breast cancer risk, |
| procedures generated by cancer screening programs, | | | | especially in post-menopausal women.o Exercise: |
| such as repeat mammograms, ultrasounds and MRI, | | | | Walking and arm swinging will get the lymphatics |
| exponentially increases the cost of the disease. In | | | | moving. Decongesting breast tissue will reduces the |
| the United States, biopsies that turn out to be benign | | | | risk of cancer.o Eliminate hormones: Discuss options |
| cost the healthcare system more than $1 billion | | | | with your physician to eliminate birth control pills and |
| annually.(3) | | | | synthetic hormone replacement. The link between |
| Screening has another potentially harmful effect. | | | | hormones and breast cancer has been confirmed.(5)o |
| Women are psychologically damaged by the stress | | | | Supplements: Many supplements have been shown to |
| of an abnormal mammogram that turns out to be a | | | | have a positive effect on breast tissue. Here are a |
| false alarm. A new survey developed by Brodersen | | | | few examples: |
| and colleagues and released this month (7/07) | | | | 1. DIM (diindolylmethane) the phytochemical found in |
| measured six psychosocial dimensions: anxiety, | | | | cruciferous vegetables, has anticancer activity and |
| behavioral impact, sense of dejection, impact on | | | | also works to repair damaged DNA. |
| sleep, breast examination and sexuality. The survey | | | | 2. Tumeric (curcumin) kills cancer cells and has strong |
| showed that women who have an abnormal | | | | properties against angiogenesis |
| screening mammogram that is later confirmed to be | | | | 3. Drinking green tea or taking green tea extract |
| a false-positive are negatively impacted in all six | | | | capsules has been associated with a reduced risk of |
| categories. | | | | breast cancer. All of these are available at your local |
| What else can be done? | | | | health food store. |
| Digital infrared imaging (digital IR), also called | | | | Women need to drive this industry and push |
| thermography, has been FDA-approved for breast | | | | conventional doctors to do their home work. The |
| health screenings since 1982. It is painless, | | | | new cameras are digital and far superior than the |
| non-invasive and uses no radiation. The scan detects | | | | cameras of 30 years ago. For women who are |
| and records thermal patterns on the skin not seen | | | | young, at high risk, have dense breasts or want to |
| with any other tool. | | | | be more proactive about breast health, a breast |
| Abnormal cells require large quantities of nutrients for | | | | digital scan is the way to go. |
| rapid growth. Through a process called angiogenesis, | | | | ___ |
| new blood vessels are drawn in the direction of the | | | | REFERENCES |
| atypical cell. Coupled with the release of cytokines | | | | (1) Elmore J., Choe J.Breast Cancer Screening for |
| and nitric oxide, additional blood flows into the area | | | | Women in Their 40s: Moving from Controversy about |
| that increases heat in the tissues that can be | | | | Data to Helping Individual Women. Ann Intern Med. |
| detected by thermography. | | | | Apr 3;146(7):529-31. 2007. PMID: 17404356 |
| Normal skin surface temperature is symmetrical and | | | | (2) Urbain JL.Breast cancer screening, diagnostic |
| deviates less than 0.3C from side to side. New digital | | | | accuracy and health care policies. CMAJ. Jan |
| IR cameras can detect differences as small as 0.1C. | | | | 18;172(2):210-1. 2005. PMID: 15655243 |
| Temperature variation of more than 1.0C suggests | | | | (3) Ibid. Urbain JL |
| the presence of abnormal, possibly pre-cancerous, | | | | (4) "Survey Determines Impact Of False-positive |
| cells. These subtle changes can be detected seven to | | | | Cancer Tests." Science Daily. July 22, 2007. |
| eight years before a mass becomes palpable or can | | | | (5) "Confirmed: A Link Between Breast Cancer and |
| be detected by mammography. | | | | Hormone Therapy." Scientific July 26, 2007. |
| What is a thermogram procedure like? | | | | (6) Rahman KW. Gene expression profiling revealed |
| After disrobing to the waist, approximately 15 | | | | surviving as a target of 3,3'-diindolylmethane-induced |
| minutes is needed to equilibrate to room | | | | cell growth inhibition and apoptosis in breast cancer |
| temperature. An experienced technician performs | | | | cells. Cancer Res. 2006 May 1;66(9):4952-60. PMID: |
| three scans--front, left and right--with arms extended | | | | 16651453 |
| over the head. Both hands are then placed in cool | | | | (7) Mosley CA Highly active anticancer curcumin |
| water for exactly one minute. When the sympathetic | | | | analogues. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2007;595:77-103 PMID: |
| nervous system is chilled, normal vessels constrict; | | | | 17569206 |
| abnormal vessels remain the same size or dilate. A | | | | (8) Zhang M Green tea and the prevention of breast |
| second set of scans is taken for comparison. When | | | | cancer: a case-control study in Southeast China. |
| the scans are completed, the exam is over. | | | | Carcinogenesis. 2007 May;28(5):1074-8. |
| Why isn't everyone doing this test? | | | | |