The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) announcement regarding breast cancer exams has stumped American women and celebrity survivors are speaking out. A recent report suggested women under 50 should not get breast cancer exams, should only get them once every two years, and that self exams serve no purpose. This is quite a difference from the exams previously recommended for women at age 40, getting them annually after the age of 40, and performing self exams each month. This report suggests the government is brushing off a very serious disease, leaving the public abashed and outraged.
Though, “The American Cancer Society continues to recommend annual screening using mammography and clinical breast examination for all women beginning at age 40. Our experts make this recommendation having reviewed virtually all the same data reviewed by the USPSTF, but also additional data that the USPSTF did not consider. When recommendations are based on judgments about the balance of risks and benefits, reasonable experts can look at the same data and reach different conclusions.”
With all the available media exposure, celebrities are generally the easiest way to get a message across to the public and they are speaking out loudly about this new report.
Sarah Palin stated, while promoting her book, “I think that’s a dangerous recommendation. You can talk to any cancer survivor who was diagnosed early thanks to an early mammogram and I would think that they would tell you much differently than what you’re hearing today that they shouldn’t receive [the tests until age 50].”
Jacyln Smith, the former Charlie’s Angel’s star and breast cancer survivor, says, ““We’re going to be put back in the dark ages again. Women are just starting to not be afraid to self-examine and have regular check ups and now they’re saying to push it another 10 years.”
Another breast cancer survivor, Olivia Newton John who was diagnosed at the age of 46 had this to say, “We are not data, we are human beings…You can’t judge it by data. I was in that 40 – 50 range…At least for me, breast self-examination is the key,” she said. “That’s how I found my lump and then I went to the doctor and he sent me for my mammogram”
Christina Applegate, who was only 36-years-old when diagnosed with breast cancer, began getting tested at the age of 30 because she had a strong family history. Her exams, because of her young age, progressed to more detailed exams. In an interview, she stated, “They [Doctors] were finding that the MRIs were really great for discovering it at an early stage, so I had my first MRI and they found cancer,” she revealed. “For me personally, it saved my life.”
If you have questions regarding your health, please consult your doctor immediately.
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Comments
I am so surprised that you haven't been blasted with responses to your article. I am a breast cancer survivor. I lived with fibroid breast cysts for years. My breasts were so dense that a mammogram wasn't useful. I always had to have an ultrasound and even then you could only see the cysts. Self exam? I believe in them. It's how I found my lump. I was 49, no breast cancer family history. I have 4 sisters who have enrolled in the 5 year Sister Study. So far only 1 of them has breast cancer. I believe in self exam. This news is very disturbing to me. Thank you Linda for bringing this important issue to my attention.
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