I think the key is becoming in tune with the body. I got a test a while back, fifteen years before the recommended routine screening, because I had symptoms and asked about them. This allowed for something to be no longer a problem at a time when under the guidelines it would just be getting found, probably progressed to something kind of serious. But it's not a test you want to get if you don't need it, and the fact that it saved ME some serious health problems doesn't mean that everyone should get one. People who need it should get it, and the key to that is knowing when you are well and when you are not.
On Wed, Dec 23, 2009 at 8:29 AM, Judah McAuley <ju...@wiredotter.com> wrote: > > The recommendations don't apply to women with any elevated risk of > breast cancer, family history especially. My wife will start getting > yearly mammograms at age 40 because her mother had breast cancer. > Sucks, but it is what it is. And, much to my everlasting annoyance, > there is a decreased emphasis on self examinations because of the > higher rate of false positives. I strongly disagree with the second > issue. The higher rate of false positives with self exams can largely > be traced to improper technique. Basically, people aren't taught well > and aren't doing it often enough, so they think something is going on > when it really isn't. That can be addressed through education. Breast > self-examination is one of the most valuable tools out there for early > detection of breast cancer and we should strongly encourage it as a > low-cost way to become more in tune with the body and personalize > health care. > > Judah > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Want to reach the ColdFusion community with something they want? Let them know on the House of Fusion mailing lists Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:309730 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5
