BREAST CANCER PREVALENCE

BREAST CANCER PREVALENCE
BY: BRENDA WITT
in november 2003, the american cancer society
stated that breast cancer is the leading cause
OF DEATH IN WOMEN BETWEEN THE AGES OF 40 AND 44.
in the united states, there are approximately
200,000 new cases of breast cancer and more than
40,000 DEATHS; MAKING THE U.S. ONE OF THE
countries with the highest death rates due to
breast cancer. perhaps the most alarming
STATISTIC IS 1: 8 WOMEN WILL EVENTUALLY DEVELOP
breast cancer over their lifetime.

GENERALLY ACCEPTED RISK FACTORS FOR DEVELOPING
breast cancer can be divided into two
categories; those a woman can control and those
SHE CANNOT. WOMEN WHO CHOOSE PHARMACEUTICAL
hormone replacement therapy (hrt) and oral
contraceptives may increase their risk of breast
CANCER. ADDITIONALLY, A WOMAN WHO CONSUMES ONE
or more alcoholic drinks per day or lives a
sedentary lifestyle faces an increased risk for
ACQUIRING BREAST CANCER. THOSE FACTORS THAT ARE
beyond the immediate control but still may lead
to increased risk include: onset of menstruation
PRIOR TO AGE 12 OR ONSET OF MENOPAUSE AFTER THE
age 50 and inheritance of the breast cancer
genes, brca 1 and brca 2. inheriting the breast
CANCER GENES, BRCA 1 AND BRCA 2, ARE KNOWN TO BE
associated with both breast and ovarian cancers,
but only account for 5-10% of all breast cancer.
IN 70% OF ALL CASES, THE CAUSE OF BREAST CANCER
is still yet unknown.

CONVENTIONAL SCREENING METHODS ALL EXAMINE
structure. for example, mammography uses x-ray
to examine breast tissue. any structure that has
GROWN LARGE ENOUGH TO BE SEEN BY X-RAY COULD BE
detected by mammography. however, mammography
can have a high false positive rate. in fact,
ONLY 1 IN 6 BIOPSIES ARE FOUND TO BE POSITIVE
for cancer when found by mammography or clinical
breast exam. this leads to increased
PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS, PHYSICAL TRAUMA AND
financial worries.

OTHER RISKS OF MAMMOGRAPHY INCLUDE THE RADIATION
exposure, although this has been debated by
doctors for many years. recently published in
RADIATION RESEARCH, 2004 THE AUTHOR SUGGESTS
that the risks associated with mammography
screening may be five times higher than
PREVIOUSLY ASSUMED AND THE RISK-BENEFIT
relationship of mammography needs to be
re-examined.

there exists a technology that can detect a
breast issue years before a tumor can be seen on
X-RAY OR PALPATED DURING AN EXAM. THIS
technology has been approved by the fda as an
adjunctive screening tool since 1982 and offers
NO RADIATION, NO COMPRESSION AND NO PAIN. FOR
women who are refusing to have a mammogram or
those who want clinical correlation for an
EXISTING PROBLEM, DIGITAL INFRARED THERMAL
imaging may be of interest.

THERMAL CAMERAS DETECT HEAT EMITTED FROM THE
body and display it as a picture on a computer
monitor. these images are unique to the person
AND REMAIN STABLE OVER TIME. IT IS BECAUSE OF
these characteristics that thermal imaging is a
valuable and effective screening tool.

breast thermography has undergone extensive
research since the 1950s. there are over 800
PEER-REVIEWED STUDIES ON BREAST THERMOGRAPHY
with more than 300,000 women included in large
clinical trials. an abnormal thermogram is 10
TIMES MORE SIGNIFICANT AS A FUTURE RISK
indicator for breast cancer than a first order
family history of the disease. a persistently
ABNORMAL THERMOGRAM CARRIES A 22-FOLD HIGHER
risk of future breast cancer.

MEDICAL DOCTORS WHO INTERPRET THE BREAST SCANS
are board certified and endure an additional two
years of training to qualify as a thermologist.
THERMOGRAPHY IS NOT LIMITED BY BREAST DENSITY
and is ideal for women who have had cosmetic or
reconstructive surgery. it is recommended that
SINCE CANCER TYPICALLY HAS A 15 YEAR LIFE SPAN
from onset to death, that women begin
thermographic screenings at age 25.

thermographic screening is not covered by most
insurance companies but is surprisingly
AFFORDABLE FOR MOST PEOPLE. FOR MORE INFORMATION
or to find a certified clinic in your area, go
to www.proactivehealthonline.com.

*ABOUT THE AUTHOR*

BRENDA WITT IS CO-OWNER OF PROACTIVE HEALTH
solutions in southern california. she has worked
in the medical field for 9 years and is now an
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CLINICAL THERMOLOGY (ACCT)
certified thermographer in the orange county
area. to contact brenda, email her at
BRENDA@PROACTIVEHEALTHONLINE.COM.