Breast Cancer Screening: Are Mammograms the way?

A recent study published in the British Medical Journal questions the utility of routine mammograms. The study suggests that mammograms routinely detect cancers that might not progress to more serious cancers if left alone and may be better left unfound. Although we feel this article does need to be acknowledged, we also wanted to recognize that there is lots of research on the benefits of routine mammograms, and no divisive evidence that it does more harm than good. At Emerald City Clinic we routinely recommend regular breast screening to patients, such as mammograms, breast thermography, and ultrasounds. However, it is the opinion of Emerald City Clinic that the best ongoing prevention is an awareness of your own body and discussing any concerns with your physician. This means doing regular breast self-examinations (BSE). The American Cancer Society has a good tutorial on BSE at: http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer/moreinformation/breastcancerearlydetection/breast-cancer-early-detection-acs-recs-bseWhile mammograms and other screening options may help detect cancers, they are not perfect and in no way replace the knowledge of your own body. Please talk with your Emerald City physician to discuss specific options and recommendations for breast screening.We also have a comparison chart that you may peruse located on our website here: http://emeraldcityclinic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/breast-imaging-comparison.pdf.Reference: BMJ 2014;348:g366 (Published 11 February 2014)