Cancer tests could increase risk of cancer

Walk in my shoes just for a moment.

If you were stood at the side of a motorway/freeway and I told you you could cross or not cross - your odds are possibly a 15% chance of living but 85% that you would get mashed up or killed..would you cross the road? No? That is what having the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene means.

Mammography screening is all that there is at the moment - all that the NHS can afford to offer. It is also very poor at detectin cancer in younger women - like myself. Women under 50 have denser breasts than post menopausal women and mammography is adequate for most breast screening. For me, BRCA1 means I am likely to get cancer much younger - my aunty was 27 and died and my cousin was 33 - they are the youngest, next is 46 and 47..MRI screening is incredibly effective in picking up cancer in younger women.

There is a pilot scheme being run this year that will be on offer to women like me with BRCA1 or BRCA2 - this is Magnetic Resonance Imaging - no radiation - just magnetic digital imaging.

This is the future - hope. I would rather live without worry, worry is a disease that eats you from the inside out. Worry itself can trigger ill health and cancer. Those of you making childish comments about mortality and this subject - fine, lets hope you never have to look over your shoulder waiting for cancer.

Cancer is an ugly, painful, slow death. 8 women, 2 men and counting - watch your family die around you - then make a childish comment. Welcome to reality - cancer is the way we live our lives - chemicals, processed food, junk, alcohol, drugs, pesticides, plastic - its modern life and it will effect all of us.

I just have more chance of getting it than most and quite honestly, that sucks but thats reality..my reality.

This is not shocking. It's called business. In the same way prescription medications are BAD for you, cancer tests will promote cancer. It's not about your health, or your life, it's about deceiving people and taking their money. Welcome to reality.

well....Im fraked. 6 types of cancer run in my family (breast, ovarian, prostate, skin, brain and nerve) and I have two diseases which make me extra prone to breast cancer (partially the diseases themselves and partially the treatment). So, Im supposed to start screening for breast cancer in the next few years. Id like to see some more research on this before I write of mammograms, but for now I will still plan on starting early screenings because as someone above me mentioned...its better to detect early and risk increasing cancer than to detect too late.

Right now my father is dying from cancer...he never got screened and by the time he did it was too late (the estimate he had the cancer anywhere from 10-15 years undetected) and he is rapidly deteriorating. Please, if you have a history of cancer in your family get screened because no one should go through what my family is if they can prevent it.

THIS JUST IN! Living increases the risk of death!

Ask a friend to check for lumps.

Thermography is the way to go these days, uses no mechanical pressure or ionizing radiation, and can detect signs of breast cancer as much as 10 years earlier than either mammography or a physical exam. The health hazards of mammography have been well established, making this test unnecessary in most cases.

This I believe. BTW ladies, don't evern accept to be a volunteer for a new type of experimental mammogram designed to detect breast cancer. I did and it lasted so long I am sure I glow in the dark.
Don't do it.

Really? Even tests for cancer give us cancer now? Honestly what doesnt give people cancer?

At this time mammagrams are the best detection modality for breast cancer. Early detection and treatment are better than the alternative: No early detection, no early treatment = death?! Until we find a better way, please, be tested. I've cared for victims of female cancers and it gets "ugly". Please, don't "blow" testing off.

there has to be a better way .

26 in 10,000 isn't too much of a risk, far less than 1%.

More like something to consider rather than be freak out about.

I have the breast and ovarian cancer gene BRCA1 and I have recently been told that there is no screening program by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) because there is no funding for it in the NHS - only for patients with cancer already or other soft tissue medical issues etc. I have had 6 mammograms already and I am 35. I worry about this triggering my DNA gene mutation. The sad thing is, if MRI screening was freely available I may even consider this as an option to monitor my breast health rather than go forward and remove my breasts in 9 weeks time.

There surely should be funding for people like me - but, in the face of no screening, mammograms will do - they saved my mother and for that I am grateful.

No boobs it is - but one day there will be MRI screening for future generations of BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene carriers...I hope.

It's not hard to believe and its definitely not new information. Radiation of any sort increases the risk for cancer. Mammograms have been the topic of debate for some time due to effectiveness and adding vulnerability to cancer via testing. Do a search, you will find a good amount on this subject.

I find this hard to believe. My mom was/is a cancer survival (thank God for now) and she was able to get this whole thing over just cause she got the test at the right time.

I think is irresponsible to ask the ladies not to take the exam.

Save the Ta Ta's! The loss of one single boob...is one too many.

I still think that, despite this new finding, that preventative measures like screenings and tests are overall more helpful than harmful. Although, we all will die eventually anyway... except me. I'm immortal.

that really is an annoying irony. hopefully they'll come up with some sort of solution. i think i'd rather run the risk and get tested though.

I've always wondered about this. Considering they put a big lead blanket over your body when you get x-rays at the dentist's office or if you break something, how is jamming your boobie into an x-ray machine not harmful?