Almost two million women screened for breast cancer in 2009 | News | Nursing Times

Almost two million women screened for breast cancer in 2009 | News | Nursing Times

Budget woes leading to cuts in free cancer screenings for women in some US states

- Rising unemployment and more women without insurance have increased demand for free screening
- Federal and state budgets have also been reduced due to the weak economy
- Age now a factor in free screening eligibility in New York
- No official data to keep track of number of women turned away

Study Questions Safety of Mammograms for Young Women at High Risk of Cancer

Specifically, women exposed to radiation before age 20 or women with five or more exposures were 2.5 times more likely to develop breast cancer than were women who had not been exposed.

Pink Glove Dance for breast cancer awareness

Australian scientists plan to regrow breasts after cancer

"We have tested it in several animal models so we have done enough testing preclinical to be confident now to take the step with human trials," said Dr Phillip Marzella, COO at the Melbourne-based Bernard O'Brien Institute of Microsurgery, which pioneered the procedure.

The regenerative procedure could offer women an alternative to traditional breast reconstruction and implants following a mastectomy, Marzella said, adding the procedure could also be used to help restore other damaged body parts.

Poor countries see troubling rise in breast cancer

Breast cancer long has been considered a cancer mostly of wealthier countries. Indeed, about 192,000 new cases are expected in the U.S. this year, where long-term survival is high thanks in part to good screening.

The true prevalence in most developing countries is unknown because of poor diagnosis and bad record-keeping. But new Harvard research estimates they'll be home to 55 percent of the world's 450,000 expected breast cancer deaths this year.

Heavier breasts linked to increased cancer risk (recurrence)

This finding goes against common understanding that bigger breasts does not mean bigger risk. Please note the article talks about recurrence.

Global lens on breast cancer at Harvard - Worldly Boston - Boston's influence on international and world news

Global lens on breast cancer at Harvard - Worldly Boston - Boston's influence on international and world news

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Researchers urge redo on breast cancer screening

The article points out, that inspite of 20 years of mammograms, with 70% of women now getting them regularly, the risk of being diagnosed with an advanced or more dangerous breast cancer remains the same.

Low risk or precancers, and the more aggressive cancers, must be distinguished and treated accordingly.

Breastfeeding Cuts Breast Cancer in High Risk Women by Fifty Nine Percent

A new study just published in the Archives of Internal Medicine has documented something that makes women with a family history of breast cancer 59 percent less likely to develop a breast malignancy themselves. The "new" and groundbreaking discovery is actually as old as humankind and totally natural -- it's breastfeeding.

Save The Boobs

Taiwan women aged over 40 to enjoy free breast cancer screening from 2010

Taiwan's Bureau of Health Promotion has allocated a sum of NT$240 million (US$7.27 million) in its 2010 budget to provide free breast cancer screening for women aged 40or over.

Similar initiatives include Singapore Health Promotion Board's heavily subsidised mammography screening programme called BreastScreen.

India third on global female smoking list

Smoking is 1 of the most important lifestyle factors contributing to cancer, about 20% of all cases. This is worrying and shocking for India given that breast cancer cases are growing rapidly and most of them still in the advanced stages due to poor awareness and attitudes towards regular screening.

Breast Cancer: Study of Radiation After Mastectomy Includes Chinese for First Time

See the user trial website for further information. Trials in India are also in the pipeline. Glad to see the world's most 2 most populous countries are part of large scale studies. Inspite of relatively lower rates of breast cancer incidence, the growth rates in breast cancer cases and deaths are amongst the world's highest.

Blind women help detect breast cancer

A really novel and exciting way to convert a disability into an amazing ability! Never thought of breast cancer screening in this manner, and I hope there are more blind nurses trained across the globe!

Forty Years' War: In Push for Cancer Screening, Limited Benefits

The whole point of cancer screening is to detect the disease early so that timely intervention is possible. Irregardless of whether advocacy groups are criticised for creating more panic than awareness and if cancer screening is statistically found to be ineffective. If only they could get people thinking and move them from a stage of learning (awareness) to mastery (actual implementation of regular self screening). The NY Times article covers several factors affecting the debate to screen or not to screen (or to advocate as such): Costs; medical risks associated with certain types of screening; the risk of spreading more fear and anxiety especially amongst younger women (breast cancer); unnecessary further testing and biopsies that can lead to scarring and finally the role of advocacy groups and government.

Dr. Barnett S. Kramer, the associate director for disease prevention at the National Institutes of Health, (which has a cancer Web site describing the potential benefits and risks of many cancer screening tests) compares mass cancer screening to a lottery. “In exchange for those few who win the lottery,” he said, “there are many, many others who have to pay the price in human costs.”

Something to think about though: Is this price much more than the cost of losing your life if you do not screen for cancer and are found to have the disease at an advanced stage? At the end of the day, decisions are made at the individual level and not really influenced by statistics. Sometimes, life's major decisions must be the simplest and perhaps advocacy groups must zero in on such simplicity to drive home their message inspite of the skeptics. Would you rather be alive even if you had to be a little anxious to begin with?

Educated women avoid cancer screening in India

I was quite surprised by the findings in the article. I thought the opposite should be generally true. However, I have received feedback that if the services were free, this could be a deterrent for educated women, who usually equate free services with low quality. Also, if the screenings were held on weekdays, this could keep working women away, who are generally more educated.