With October designated as National Breast Cancer Awareness month, I thought it appropriate to initiate a discussion about the benefits and pitfalls of thermography as an alternative to mammograms given that more and more women are seeking non-radiation alternatives for identification of breast anomalies amid a very x-ray happy medical environment.
I myself have never had a mammogram, following in the footsteps of my wise 81 year old mother who once said, “Why look for breast cancer with a test that can actually cause breast cancer?”
If only our conventional medical community made decisions using this much common sense!
By some estimates, up to 20% of all breast cancers diagnosed in the United States annually are actually caused by the cumulative radiation effects of mammograms which makes the recommendation for annual or semi-annual mammograms after age 40 absolutely ludicrous!
If you don’t have breast cancer when you start screening with mammograms, you probably will years later after all that accumulating radiation exposure over that long period of time!
Another major problem with mammograms is the compression factor which serves to spread any breast cancer that may be present. This from the Cancer Prevention Coalition:
As early as 1928, physicians were warned to handle “cancerous breasts with care— for fear of accidentally disseminating cells” and spreading cancer (7). Nevertheless, mammography entails tight and often painful compression of the breast, particularly in premenopausal women. This may lead to distant and lethal spread of malignant cells by rupturing small blood vessels in or around small, as yet undetected breast cancers.
So, what to do if you need to safely screen for breast cancer?
Thermography, or Medical Infrared Imaging, has been heralded by many in the alternative health community as a safe alternative to mammograms. Indeed, thermography is a very safe and effective breast screening technology as it very accurately identifies the vascular changes associated with breast cancer even well in advance of when a mammogram would identify a problem.
In addition, thermography is a much better choice than mammograms for women who are on hormone replacement, nursing or have fibrocystic, large, dense, or enhanced breasts as there is much difficulty in reading mammograms accurately in these situations. Any type of breast differences do not cause any interpretation difficulties in thermography.
Here’s what Christiane Northrup MD, a fan of thermography, has to say:
“The most promising aspect of thermography is its ability to spot anomalies years before mammography.”
“Today, women are encouraged to get a mammogram, so they can find their breast cancer as early as possible. With thermography as your regular screening tool, it’s likely that you would have the opportunity to make adjustments to your diet, beliefs, and lifestyle to transform your cells before they became cancerous. Talk about true prevention.”
Before you run to the phone and schedule your thermogram, however, there are a few more things you need to know.
Time for the reality check.
Thermography Pitfalls You Need to Know About
While thermography is definitely a helpful and nontoxic approach to detecting breast cancer at any stage, it is not the perfect alternative to mammograms as it is frequently portrayed.
First of all, thermography is rarely covered by medical insurance. As a result, the typical fee of several hundred dollars for the initial screen with a required followup screen costing an additional one or two hundred dollars within 3-6 months is completely out of pocket for the vast majority of patients. A single thermogram each year after the initial 2 screenings is recommended – another expense. For many women, this large personal expense is simply out of the question especially in the current economic environment.
Even in my home state of Florida where the law stipulates that all medical insurance providers provide policyholders with a free mammogram every 2 years for women aged 40-50 and an annual mammogram for women over 50 with no deductible or co-pay required, women still must pay out of pocket as no substitution of a thermogram for a mammogram is permitted.
Thermogram? You Might Be Forced to Have a Mammogram Anyway
A second very real problem with going the thermography route is that you frequently are pressured into getting a mammogram anyway. All that money out of pocket and you still end up getting doused with radiation!
The reason is that thermography is able to detect breast anomalies that are noncancerous and not in any way threatening to health, so women frequently end up at the gynecologist after having a thermogram which identified anything that looked remotely suspicious even something as simple and common as a clogged milk duct.
Once at the gynecologist, women are shocked to learn that a mammogram is almost always required and that trying to substitute a simple breast ultrasound to examine the anomaly identified by thermography is not allowed – unless you have a mammogram first!
Tricky, tricky! Ah, those mammograms are such a nice moneymaker for GYNs; you didn’t actually think they would let you bypass it so easily did you?
A large out of pocket expense for a thermogram only to end up being pressured or even forced to have a mammogram is a source of extreme frustration for women trying to avoid mammograms in the first place.
Are Thermograms Helpful At All?
Given these very real pitfalls, does it make sense for women to use thermography at all? In my opinion, yes, thermograms are an extremely beneficial test.
However, a woman needs to go down that road with her eyes completely open knowing that her battle to forgo mammograms is not necessarily over!
Be sure to have a discussion with your chosen thermographer before the appointment to be sure that he/she has a way for you to get only a breast ultrasound and not a mammogram if a suspicious area is detected.
In my local area, there are thermographers that can provide this service, and others that cannot. Be sure to ask!
My Thermography Adventure
Here’s what happened to me. I got a routine thermogram which discovered a suspicious area which turned out to only be a clogged milk duct (my daughter was weaning at that time) but since we didn’t know what it was when the thermography was done, I was referred for a simple breast ultrasound.
I then discovered to my dismay that no one in town would give me just a breast ultrasound without me first having a mammogram!
Fortunately, coming from a medical family, I was able to circumvent the mammogram madness and get a script for just a breast ultrasound. Even then, the battle wasn’t yet over! When I went in for my breast ultrasound, I was read the riot act about forgoing the mammogram by the attending physician. This, after she admitted that a mammogram was not even an appropriate test for me given that I have what’s called “dense breast tissue”!
She also denied that each mammogram (4 films per breast) exposes a woman to approximately 1 rad (radiation absorbed dose) of exposure – about 1000 higher than a chest x-ray even though this is a clearly documented fact.
Clueless, misinformed docs. They are everywhere my friends!
So use thermography – it is a fantastic diagnostic tool that is clearly superior to mammograms, but be sure to have your ducks in a row about what you will do if anything suspicious is found before you pay all that money out of pocket!
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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{ 66 comments… read them below or add one }
I was worried by the title! I’m glad you didn’t discover anything harmful about thermogram! These tests are a long way away for me still, but I thinks it’s good to think ahead. Hopefully, things will have changed by the time I need one (I’m not holding my breath). Thanks for all the research and for expressing your personal experience.
Lyza
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My naturopathic physician, when I asked her if there was a place in her town where I could get thermography, told me that one of her fellow N.D.s had had this done but it didn’t detect a cancer in her breast, so I’m rethinking the need to get one.
just stay away from med science a,l together if you want to b healthy.
I’d suggest starting with self-breast exams at home, to see if anything changes. If it does, follow up with a doctor and request a manual exam. And then, consider a thermogram if you can pay for it, or an ultrasound if you can’t if anything unusual is found. This seems to be the safest and least-invasive course of action.
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I have had thermographies done. I’m 42 and decided that I didn’t want a mammogram years ago. My first one came back with a 3 in one of my breasts. That means that there could be a possibility for cancer. My results were sent to my doctor, and she called to make an appointment with me . I knew that she’d probably want to do a mammogram, so I didn’t go to the appointment. I went back to the thermographer, followed some recommendations–basically got rid of my wire bras, and my thermography improved. I went a third time and it got even better.
Yes, there is added expense, but for most alternative medicines, there is added expense. My insurance doesn’t pay for acupuncture, but I still go.
As far as it not detecting breast cancer, there is one type it doesn’t and I can’t remember exactly what it’s called, but Dr. Northrup talks about this all of the time and how it’s not really harmful even though the medical community is saying it is. It’s usually a “stage 0″ cancer.
Also, I think it’s important to remember that not ever medical tool is 100% accurate, so if a thermography didn’t catch a breast cancer, well the same could be said true of a mammogram. Not every doctor, for that matter, catches everything. Not every test catches everything. That is why some people go years without getting a proper diagnosis to a disease.
I will continue to get one, and if anything starts to look really suspicious, then I will make the choice to do a mammogram or an ultra sound. By the way, one of my friends is a radiologist. She doesn’t know that I do thermographies, and I probably won’t tell her. She doesn’t think they are good, and she thinks the amount of radiation is slight. I’m not going to argue with her, but she won’t sway me to get a mammogram unless I think there is something that needs to be checked out. Please read the “I” as emphasized!
Even if you only get an ultrasound they will steer you towards a mammogram. They always see suspicious lumps in my breasts and the only way they can tell anything is if you will go for a mm, which I did once years ago. Right now, my doctor has threatend to pick my up at my house and drive me for a mammogram. After my us, he received a scathing letter from the doctor where I had an us proclaiming ‘why is this woman not coming in for a mm’ and ‘that he better get me in there.’ So he tells me. I do have small, fibrocystic breasts. And I breastfed all my children and my last two until they were almost two.
I could go for thermography, but the cost…
Not sure what to do anymore. So I just ignore it and try to eat as healthy as I can, etc.
Daily breast massage is a good preventative thing to do, along with ditching underwire bras or any bra that binds or doesn’t have stretchy elastic as the bottom band. Homemade deodorant of coconut oil and aluminum-free baking soda is good as well. Sun exposure and optimizing vit D and iodine are also helpful. There’s so much we can do ourselves to promote breast health that’s inexpensive and effective.
D and K2 which helps direct calcium to where it belongs. Diet and lifestyle to minimize inflammation. I’ve used organic distilled vinegar as a deodorant for a number of years and it works very well. Anyone know any reason not to use vinegar?
Shirley J, I was making coconut oil deodorant until someone mentioned vinegar, too. Now I use Bragg’s ACV as deodorant and it works better than any other deodorant, natural or storebought, that I’ve ever tried. I’ve never heard of any health concerns with using it.
Had a thermogram and it showed questionable vascular patterns~the place I went to suggested that I get Digital Palpation Imaging (new) which is sort of like an ultrasound, except it has the ability to differentiate between what may very well be a cancerous tumor and fibrocysts etc (based on their density;a cancerous tumor having a higher density). It cost 75 out of pocket and was so worth the peace of mind it bought when they found me to be just fine. Being a new technology it cannot be found everywhere~hoping that will change! Thanks for posting this,
Arlene
Just discovered that Digital Palpation Imagining is available at the Bellingham (WA) Regional Breast Center. Sadly they don’t also offer thermography.
I am 69 yr retired RN with several risk factors. Had 1st mm at age 35, biopsy @ that time for what turned out to be benign cysts. W/O alternatives at that time I had annual mm most years until 2008. Often they would recommend a repeat in 6 months for suspicion or inability to decipher in one side. In 08 there were new calcifications in one side, US indicated cyst, recommended to return for US in 6 mo. When I returned they insisted on MM and I refused noting I came for US. They acted like I was a complete imbecile and I walked out. There was a message on my phone when I got home to please come back for US which I did. Radiologist said it had improved and MM not needed for another 6 mo. That is the last I’ve had or will have unless indicated by symptoms or thermogram. One thing I think is important for thermogram is that you have a practitioner, MD, ND, who is familiar with them and can help interpret reports and give advice. The first few I had there was no one like that in our area. Now we have several NDs that offer in their office, though I have to travel 50+ miles and have increased $$ (260) it is worth it. Good article Sarah. Good to know about trick for getting US.
I am fortunate enough to live near Ann Arbor here in Michigan so there are a lot of progressive medical offices in the area so in turn a lot of competitive pricing. Yes, I had to pay out of pocket, but both of my first two thermography base line appointments only cost $200.00 inclusive. I was fortunate enough to not have anything that needed further studies. For my own peace of mind the cost is well worth the alternative.
Where in Ann Arbor? I am only 45 min away and that is a god price, thanks.
I too was concerned about the article’s title. I am 40 and just had my first breast thermography images taken a couple months ago. The cost is was $210 for the first appt. and will be $190 for the second appt. 3 months later. I feel that this is definitely worth the cost to establish a baseline. When it comes to our health and well being, it’s a top priority (as well with our food budget). My mom just had a mastectomy last year for breast cancer. She avoided radiation and chemotherapy by having the mastectomy- it was her choice. I do feel her having 25 years of radiation with a yearly mammogram contributed to her getting breast cancer. I don’t want to go down the same path. Since I have it in my family, I need to take precautionary measures. Of course no underwire bras- I threw all of them out when I learned more about breast cancer when she was diagnosed. Another couple of things that my ND told me was to take Tumeric daily, exercise on a rebounder to help circulatory/lymphatic system, and take yoga or meditation daily. I thought these were great tips!
I keep hearing the reply about getting rid of underwire bras but have never come across any articles about why they are bad for breast health. Also, I have quit getting mm probably 3 or 4 years ago after reading about the cumulative effects of radiation. My gyne said since it has been awhile getting one wouldn’t hurt but I said no. So she wrote me an order for a bone scan but I haven’t done it yet. Unfortunately, in Northern IN I don’t know of any places that would offer thermography.
Dumb question, ladies. If you don’t wear underwire bras, then what do you wear for support?? What else is out there? I just bought a new bra, happened to be underwire, as I’ve lost a lot of weight and I don’t recall seeing anything that will help lift me up instead of letting me sag. Thanks!
Coobie bras are wonderful! They don’t dig in around the ribs, they stretch, and have decent removable liners. I have had problems with painful lumps on my left side for years, but have had almost complete reversal of that since switching to Coobies. They are great too if you have a hard time finding bras that fit well both around the ribs and the cup size. Go to Coobiestore.com. Also search online and you can always find a buy one get one free Coobie coupon code.
Could someone please explain the problem with underwire bras. I’ve worn them for years w/o any difficulties. If these are not good, does anyone have suggestions as to what would work just as well for supporting larger figures? Thanks
Hi ladies, this maybe a stupid question, but what is wrong with underwire, and what is a good alternative to it. Thanks for the great by the way. This helps to solidify my decision against not ever getting a mammogram. Thanks.
Thermography isn’t as evasive which makes it more attractive but doesn’t necessarily catch more than the mammograph. However, October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month we are seeing the pink ribbons all over the place which means “give us more money for research”. Actually, if these organizations with their hands out for money would apply that money towards further research on cancer “cures” that actually exist already, we could be long removed from these evasive and less-evasive treatments. Unfortunately, it appears good organizations, who once were concerned about women first, have gone the way of many such groups: cushy jobs, great money perks, and joined up with the devil causing the problems. Just had to say it.
Thank you Frankie, for saying it. There is a campaign called, “Think before you Pink,” and it is eye-opening. So good to know, not everyone is fooled by their “pink wash.”
Hi,
For those wanting to know the problems with underwire bras, I think they cut off circulation. When I wore one, I was getting pain under my left armpit by my breast. As soon as I stopped wearing them, the pain went away. I think if I had continued to wear them, I would have had more issues.
I started with wirefree bras. They aren’t quite as good, but sufficient. I’m a size C. You have to make sure there is no boning on the side as that is bad too.
Now I wear little tank tops with shelves in them because I find even the wirefree bras constrictive, but I’ve also gained weight, so I might just need a bigger size. Sometimes I wear two of the tops with the shelves in them for extra support or a jogging bra. It works for me and I think my breasts are happier!
Lymphatic drainage is an important part of the body’s circulatory, immune and detox system. Unlike blood, however, it’s not pumped but movement of lymph depends on muscle movement and/or anti-gravity effects from things like jogging or even better, rebounding. There are lots of lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels in and around the armpits, upper chest, breasts and below. Underwires and tight bands and straps compress these nodes and vessels and prevent the lymphatic system from draining properly. The more time spent without a bra (which I realize isn’t very comfortable for some women), the better.
How are mammograms money makers for GYNs? They must be done by radiologists?
I’d like to know this too. Mine are not done in my OB/GYN’s office, but either at the breast imaging center or a hospital.
I am 51 years old and have never had a mammogram in spite of my friends/family/doctors advice. My grandmother is 97 years old and to my knowledge has never had one.
I’ve had a 4 yr journey with thermography and was also very concerned when I just read the title. I have learned volumes in my thermo experience so I’m just talking about my journey and position here.
I had a non cancerous lump removed at the age of 35 and it was recommended I get mammos every year for the rest of my life after that..”just to make sure”. About 3 yrs into that suggest I started reading and finding out how dangerous that might be. I landed on the Mercola website after googling “safe alternatives to mammograms” and found out about thermograms.
At my first appt, my thermographer got me into underwire bras. The problem is not circulation, but instead, it cuts off your lymph flow. The lymph system is a huge part of this whole discussion. There is more lymph in your body than blood, but MDs do not seem to focus much on it, which boggles me. The lymph system delivers waste material/fluid out of your body. This is crucial to your health! When done effectively where there is no blockage from clogged lymph fluid or the hindrance from tight clothing or underwires, sufficient hydration, etc, it works well to keep toxins moving out. Stagnant lymph fluid is just toxics sitting on your tissues. Just sitting there, it causes inflammation or infection and is easily ID’d by a thermogram. This is what I had above both breasts in pretty large amounts right in the lymph ducts and pathways. My thermographer pretty much told me, if left there and not moved through, would almost certainly degenerate the cells, possibly causing malignancy. THIS is what makes thermography so valuable. it’s total prevention. Various conditions can be spotted that are known to cause big health issues down the road. I went full force into a removing chemicals in our lives (toxin/chemical overload causes a strain on the lymph system and causes lymph system to back up), sufficient sweating/exercise, hydration, skin brushing, green drinks, etc. I also got lymph massages to physically move that junk out. A year later, my thermogram was 80% better.
In my journey, I was extremely fortunate that my thermographer also had loads and loads of advice on what to do next since problems were found and could refer me out to lymph massage therapists and advise on lifestyle changes. One of Sarahs points is that once thermograms find problems, people end up in an MD’s office, back with conventional choices only. This CAN be true in a lot of cases, but doesn’t have to be. Try to ask questions before going to find a thermograher that can also advice somewhat (without getting sued by the medical association that is) after the images come through. OR can refer you to an ND for further advice. I was also fortunate that my (military) doctor would do a sonogram and I didn’t have to do a follow up mammograhy. They DID suggest and try to schedule me for one after the US but I just didn’t call them back to schedule and never had to deal with it. Then again, I’m used to getting the lectures. We don’t vaccinate, don’t do flouride, etc. So I get my lectures every six months at the dentist office, and every time my husband gets stationed somewhere else until the Peds get used to our choices. I’ve just learned how to deal with it.
The cost is a downfall? Yes, sure…….it is out of pocket as will be any follow up changes or treatment if anything is found. It’s not easy to come up w/ the money all the time but we GLADLY sacrifice where we can to make this possible. It’s my HEALTH and my LIFE. I had NO IDEA about a lymph system and the damage poisonous stagnant fluid could do. I am happy to pay the cost since it has lead me into a complete and total chance of lifestyle and now, TRUE nutrition that I had no clue we needed. It is responsible for opening my eyes and changing our lives. A chemcial-free home, organic foods, bone broths and vibrancy to name a few things! Hardly a downfall. This is my perspective at least. It costs me under $200 a year now and I save 6 months leading up to my appt to make sure I have it. This year I”m saving for a full body thermogram which nears $500 but I have a year to save and almost have it. Where there is a will there is a way!
It’s also interesting to note that most (certainly not all) cancers take 5 to 20 yrs to build to a dangerous point. You can look this fact up on mercola.com, naturalnews.com, other reputable online resources, etc (also, my ND, and both thermographers I’ve used have said this.) Thermography readers (which by the way are MDs! the image is sent off to be read).. can spot a change in your image, up to a tiny PIXEL on the computer screen, theoretically many years before a mammo can detectit.. Thermography provides a safe way to look inside to spot inflammation or issues YEARS and YEARS ahead of any serious problems. This fact says to me that lifestyles, nutritional or lack of, and things like mammograms or the lack of can all help us to get in there and PREVENT problems in our day to day choices. Cancer victims are not just unlucky. Unless it’s truly inherited, the whole picture in a persons choices makes the difference.
One more thing. Thermograms spot *many* issues. My 65 yr old mother just started getting them and it spotted an inflammed liver (she didn’t know it was inflammed), problems in her veins in her left leg (she’s lived a lifetime with bloodclots there), inflammed lymph nodes in her left arm (she’d had arm pain there that Md’s couldn’t explain) as well as a confirmation on a very rare auto immune sydrome that she suspected she had. Her thermographer was very experienced and is now guiding her in lifestyle changed that will hopefully make a difference in some of these things. For a couple of things, yes, she will end up in a doctors office since she needs an MRI. I don’t see that as a downfall. She can certainly pick and choose to follow the advice. However the image might just provide info to her and her ND that will help her make her choice on care. Her ND can’t order an MRI. My thermograms have also spotted an abscessed tooth I didn’t know about. For the last couple years tho, it has provided peace of mind.
Thanks for sharing your experience Melissa. The information is really helpful – esp reminders about lymph system health effects. Being a military family (as I was, retired now) I imagine you move a lot. Do you return to the same thermographer or find a new one when you move. Sounds like you have a good one. Could you share the location?
Wow. Thanks for the great info it has been very helpful.
Very helpful information! Kudos to you for dealing with the military health system and not caving in to their often very commanding and scarey tactics to get vaccinated and such. We retired a few years ago, and I just stopped going to military dr.s and paid out of pocket to see civilians (although they weren’t much better until I found a naturopath – I still got high pressure lectures to vaccinate but at least they didn’t threaten my husband’s career!).
Most cancers take 5-20yrs to build to a dangerous point? No. *Most* cancers are much more rapidly progressing than that. Some, like, prostrate cancer, take a long time to become truly damaging – ie the statement that many more older men die *with* prostate cancer than *from* prostate cancer but that is by far the exception rather than the rule.
Food for thought if you’re going to make the assertion you did: what about the WIDE variety of cancers that are diagnosed in children, young children (think 15mos and up)? Many of them have not even been alive for 5yrs.
I’m repeating what natural health care professionals whom I trust have said as well as put into print. It’s not an assertion I, myself have made. And yours is opinion with no backing. There ARE fast growing cancers. I believe I said *most* take many years to develop. When do we normally find out about cancer? After it’s causing symptoms and sent us to conventional doctors. How long as it been there? Some have been there for many years being fed by poor choices and other toxins. Thermography is actually a tool that has proven that cancer, from it’s EARLIEST possible beginning…a free radical that has malfunctioned and no longer “turns off”, thus mutating and quickly causes visible inflammation visible in a thermogram… starts at such a small stage that MM’s can’t even detect them…again, starting from the mutating cell stage. Once it’s a viable tumor it’s already had a life as a cancer well before that. And for many years, many of the cancers go undetected in these extremely early forms. Then, once it’s finally detected, the far majority of newly diagnosed cancer patients are shot full of poisonous radiation and chemo and BAM..cancer grows furiously. In THIS stage is a fast grower. But in general, lots of cancers live a longer life than we have been taught through conventional medicine. Why? Because conventional medicine is not about PREVENTION.
I have to find a new one each time, sadly. When I find we’re moving, it panics me a little since thermographers can be hard to find. When in California we were close to Santa Barbara and I used Jackie Kane. You can google her and find her. She was completely responsible for changing my life course in this regard. She is so knowledgeable and is in the loop with all others professionals who practice natural living in the area who offer services. Now, I’m in Montana and the thermographer travels between the cities of Billings, Great Falls, Missoula, etc. I have to wait until she is in my town. I found her online too but can’t seem to remember her name right now but she can be found by googling as well. My mom uses a chiropractor/thermographer in Tallahassee. I don’t know her name, but she found her by googling LOL
Hello Melissa, could you please post the name of the chiropractor/thermographer in Tallahassee that your mom uses….also, could your mom recommend an OBGYN in Tallahasse or a NP doctor who is familiar with thermography and favors it, instead of mammography? This info would be of tremendous help to me right now, as I am having pain in my left breast near my underarm and need to find a good doctor and thermographer. Thank You!
I will ask her tomorrow. Can you email me your email addy and I’ll send you the info that way? Candmforeverandever@yahoo.com.
Seems like a better title for this post would be “Thermograms are worth it but you have to navigate the cost and doctors’ ignorance.”
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I could write a book about the run-around with thermography, ultrasounds and mammograms. I developed a large (milk filled cyst) a couple years ago. The story behind that can be found on my blog if you are interested in reading that ongoing ordeal or share information if you have one yourself.
Because I was nursing at the time, the thermography appointment I went to was a bust. Even after I asked on the phone and was told nursing was “okay”, I arrived at the appointment to be told it would be worthless. The technician said that all nursing breast tissue appears inflamed on a thermography scan so it was pointless to proceed.
I refused to get a mammogram even though my first doctor said I had to have one to get an ultrasound. I found a gyn who said that wasn’t an issue and because I was nursing, a mammogram would have showed the same problem–all those milk ducts, etc would give an incorrect reading with a mammogram on a nursing mother. She said an ultrasound was the only option.
For what it’s worth, a galactocele shows up as a cancerous mass on the u/s but because mine developed so quickly, we just made the assumption it wasn’t cancerous and I allowed them to drain it. HUGE mistake. It was horrible and got worse afterwards. In my gut, I didn’t like the fact that the big needle kept prodding around in my breast tissue but I let myself be talked into draining it right at the appointment. Anyway, that’s another story….
My point is that if you are nursing, an ultrasound is your only option and at least you have an excuse not to get a mammogram.
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I believe that if one goes to a very experienced reader of breast thermography data, there won’t be confusion regarding things like “plugged milk ducts” versus cancer. I am large breasted, have a calcified cyst & am breastfeeding. Instead of doing more frequent u/s & spot mammograms for it, I went to George Chapman in San Diego, a guy who was doing this before most everyone, and he was confident when reading the results. http://clinicalthermography.com/
Meant to write “large galactocele (milk filled cyst) above”
…and I still have it now but not as large.
I’m in Canada and the pitfalls you expressed were not an issue at all. Thermography is covered by many insurance companies up here (not government socialized coverage…private). Unfortunately, we do not have private coverage so we had to pay. I paid $250 and that was it – there were no follow up visits or fees. After the test was read by a doctor in the US, the results were mailed to me and my doctor. That was it. Recommended once a year. According to the information that came on my results, it did not recommend mammograms at all. I tend to think it really depends on the company and/or doctor that does the thermography when it comes to cost and recommendations. So I would tend to be cautious in assuming all thermography companies operate the same. People should research the company (clinics, doctors, etc) that do the test and read reviews. I was absolutely happy with my experience!
i think the title is very misleading. the issues addressed are related to the typical insurance/doctor system-not thermography itself.
Hi!!
I am enjoying your site, thanxs for all the information. I have my sister and loads of friends reading now! I wanted to say to you and everyone posting that the way of the breast is
to use iodine and b-12. Go to amazon and get the book “Could It Be B-12″ it is urgent that all women understand their breasts and how to protect and care for them. The breast has specific needs for iodine and B-12. Get the book. The next thing all women need to know is that bras are a big issue for breasts! The breast lymph nodes need to drain!!! They cannot drain in a bra, in fact the entire upper body is a pump that drains the lymph nodes!! What is supposed to hang on a women or a man for that matter should hang, that’s why the body was designed that way. I do not wear a bra unless I have to ever.
If you hinder your body from doing the job it was meant to do, which is keep you healthy
through specific actions on it’s part you can plan on having extremely poor health including cancers. Help your body, make sure you get plenty of iodine and b-12 as well as organic non-gmo foods! And clean non fluoridated water ! Lastly learn to meditate, even if it’s just sitting enjoying the view of green grass with a herbal tea before and after work !
Good luck and good wishes to all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Unfortunately I have a different story than the other ladies who have commented here.
Like many others, I was unhappy with mammograms- radiating something that you are trying to keep cancer free just didn’t make sense. I read about thermography and thought it sounded like a wonderful solution. I had a whole body thermogram done in March of 2011 and then just a breast thermogram again in June of 2011 to “establish a baseline”. There were a lot of red areas in the images but the person who wrote my report attributed it to my dense breasts and said I was fine. The doctor at the thermogram clinic knew that I had not had a mammogram since 2004 and she still was satisfied with the written report saying I was fine.
I wasn’t. This year when I went to my Gyn, she recommended that I have a mammogram because my breasts were really dense and she couldn’t tell for sure what she was feeling. I agreed and on June 29th of this year I had a mammogram and an ultrasound. I had a big cluster of calcification and the radiologist was really concerned. He scheduled me for a biopsy and found that the mass was DCIS cancer and my lymph node biopsy also showed invasive breast cancer. I had lots more tests done and spoke to 2 different surgeons and 2 different reconstructive surgeons when the concensus was that I needed a mastectomy because the tumor was too large for a lumpectomy.
I had a double mastectomy on September 6th and when I got my pathology back I found out that I had 3 tumors on the “bad” side and 1 tumor in my “good” breast. The only tumor that had been visible on all of the tests that I had was the original tumor from the first biopsy. I also had to have the lymph nodes taken out on the “bad” side. If I would have been diagnosed a year earlier, maybe it would not have spread to my lymph nodes.
I am starting chemo this coming Thursday and then I will have to have radiation because one of the margins was not good. There was a small tumor on top of my chest muscle and there could be more cancer cells that my surgeon was unable to get.
I still believe in thermography but I know now that I went to a bad clinic. I should have been advised to have a mammogram and an ultrasound at the same time as my first thermogram to establish a real baseline of cancer free breasts.
Luckily I have come through all of this really well so far and hopefully my chemo won’t be too bad. I have been lucky to have had some of the nicest and most caring people help me during all of my medical procedures and surgery.
My best advice is to thoroughly research the thermogram clinic that you are thinking of using after you learn all you can about what constitutes a “good clinic”. Also, don’t think that because you do not have breast cancer in your family or if you are tested and don’t have the genetic markers for breast cancer, that you won’t get it. My surgeon told me that 80% of ladies who get breast cancer have no genetic markers and no family history (I had neither).
I am still not thrilled with mammograms but I know that my life was saved by having one.
Andrea\’s last post: Oatmeal Cookies Sweetened with Coconut Palm Sugar and Stevia
Andrea- Love, thoughts and prayers to you as you embark on your healing journey!
Almost exactly my mom’s experience during the last couple years, right down to the DCIS that turned invasive and went into the lymph nodes. Multiple thermograms showed nothing. She was desperate and did chemo and had a double mastectomy one year ago. On the encouraging side, she did as well as could be expected and is trying her best to recover from all that, though she has many lasting side effect from the chemo. I hope it will go well for you!
I have concluded that thermography cannot be trusted and mammography is dangerous. Honestly, the only thing I’m going to do is have the best possible diet (including plenty of iodine), almost never wear a bra, and try not to worry too much about it.
Unfortunately, thermography doesn’t catch DCIS. I was told why, but I can’t remember. Dr. Northrup says that most women will die with DCIS–in that it doesn’t typically kill or spread. They call is stage 0 cancer.
The truth is that not every test is going to catch everything. Thermography warns you when there are issues or could be issues. Mammograms tell you when there are issues.
I too really wish you had changed the title of this blog post. It makes it sound like there is some redeeming quality to mammograms.
To everyone out there, the two are different and I think people should realize that. I don’t plan on having a mammogram unless something looks really suspicious on a thermography. Also, it’s important to know that the person who reads the thermography report will send you to have a mammogram to cover his/her butt. Just because they suggest it doesn’t mean you have to have one.
You always write about things I am thinking about. It’s like you read my mind.
Mammograms causing breast cancer!? That’s insane!
There has to be more to it than just mammograms causing breast cancer. What about all these young women who have never had one and end up with cancer in their 30′s? I know at least three who have. Breast cancers have been reported even before mammos were invented. Heck, even John Adams’ daughter had breast cancer back in the late 1700′s!
I believe that if one goes to a very experienced reader of breast thermography data, there won’t be confusion regarding things like “plugged milk ducts” versus cancer. I have a calcified cyst & am breastfeeding. Instead of doing frequent u/s & spot mammograms for it, I went to George Chapman in San Diego, a guy who was doing this before most everyone, and he was confident when reading the results. http://clinicalthermography.com/
Sahn, can you email me? I have some questions I’d like to ask you…. Michigan mom at gmail
Thanks,
Heather
Aren’t you too young to start mamograms?
I have experienced almost everything you wrote about! My gyn tried to order an ultra sound only and the radiologist took me to a private room to interrogate me! I actually go to a chiropractor for my thermograms that is 250 miles from my house in a different state. For $190 they treat me like royalty and stay with me until all questions have been answered, send me the review of the pictures plus the pictures themselves in the mail. If I want extra confirmation, they send me to get an ultrasound ($99-150) in a clinic that only asked me once (and very nicely) why I did not want a mammogram. It helps to have a Health Savings Account for payments. The high deductible is hard, but regular insurance policies wouldn’t pay for it anyway.
Some of us are old enough to remember being told by our grandmothers and mothers to be so careful with our breasts and not to let them get “hit or mashed”. So, I have always thought that the idea of mashing your breast and then shooting radiation through it is a really BAD idea. It is so hard to think outside the box, but folks, we are being lied to daily from almost every angle in the media, government, healthcare, etc.. I wish it were not so, but, when you check to see if something is true or not, then you will see how bad it really is. Just got done reading a totally bogus article in Sunday’s pater about a meningitis survivor and how anyone who declines vaccinations based on their beliefs or research is a dangerous and irresponsible person. RESEARCH THIS! It is a lie and vaccines are dangerous, but there is a lot of money to be made. So, follow the money….word to the wise.
@Kimberly, yes I think I could have titled that one better. Not the greatest of titles unfortunately.
My ND just sent this out. Has anyone had a ForeCyte Breast Health Test?———– I’m wondering how you can make a conclusion about the whole breast from a sample at the nipple??
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“As you know, the best way to fight breast cancer is to prevent it before it takes root. This has led us to team with Atossa Genetics to bring you cutting edge, non-invasive breast cancer screening test called ForeCYTE Breast Health Test, “a pap smear for the breast” in combination with our high-resolution breast thermography.
You are probably already familiar with Breast thermography, here is a summary of the Forecyte Test. In short, the Forecyte Test involves looking under the microscope for early changes to cells in the nipple aspirate fluid (NAF) to detect changes in the cells of the breast ducts years before cancer sets in. NAF is sampled by using a pain-free specialized breast pump that takes 90 seconds. Our doctors use this test along with thermography to create an integrative treatment plan involving diet, lifestyle, and supplements to reverse these early cellular changes in order to lower risk for and prevent breast cancer. Here you can learn more about the ForeCYTE Breast Health Test.
By combining Breast Thermography and Forecyte Test you will benefit from both short term and long term breast health screening test. We are offering a special for the month of October combining ForeCYTE™ Test and Breast Thermography.”
My mom’s friend died of breast cancer in her 60′s. Never had a mammogram in her life. She was addicted to diet coke however.
Why are you looking for cancers in your breasts when you know you’re eating a healthy diet?
It doesn’t make any sense. The traditional people didn’t do that either and you know already from Price’s work they didn’t need it, since they didn’t even know what a cold was.
It’s dissapointing to see you falling for the women’s diseases craze, even though you are critical about what you’re being told, you’re not critical enough. I doubt you have every other organ checked for cancer as well..
And to Shirley above,
that’s so pathetic, a test that supposedly can detect suspicious cells *years* before they turn into cancer. The point is, you can’t predict so far ahead if some so called ‘precancerous’ cells will turn cancerous. It is in fact all this panic surrounding it that does more harm than good, same for the pap smear. Too many women butchered and scared needlessly to find some rare disease.
If you’ve read anything about Sarah’s past, she didn’t grow up on or enter adulthood eating a traditional diet. She, and everyone else living in this toxic world, aren’t a “traditional people” raised, generation after generation on a healthy, nutrient-dense diet with minimal environmental toxins to be worried about.
It still doesn’t make sense to me, despite living in a relatively toxic world. Do you also screen for throat, colon cancer and so on? If not, you have to ask yourself why would you test for certain cancers and for others not.. some cancers are hyped and seem common, because everybody screens for them, despite they may not be..
There’s also doctors in the alternative world who argue to not screen for cancer, because of knowing that the diagnosis of cancer or merely the finding of “suspicious” cells causes a lot of stress in the patient which can cause a worsening of the (beginning of the) disease.
There is no point in looking for diseases when you don’t experience any symptoms to begin with, it’s all hype and especially they do it with women more to keep them stuck in their victimhood.
[the more non-invasive tests available the better in my opinion. That way mm can be the last resort] ~Shirley
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Dr. Garry F. Gordon, MD, DO, MD(H)
President, Gordon Research Institute
http://www.gordonresearch.com
http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/researchers-explore-blood-test-to-detect-early-breast-cancer-201210035359?utm_source=HEALTHbeat&utm_medium=email&utm_content=body2b&utm_campaign=HB100412&j=29609466&e=ggordon@gordonresearch.com&l=16278673_HTML&u=344024694&mid=148797&jb=0
Harvard Health Publications
Harvard Medical School
Researchers explore blood test to detect early breast cancer
Posted October 03, 2012, 12:44 pm
Stephanie Watson, Executive Editor, Harvard Women’s Health Watch
Whenever we hear about a breakthrough in breast cancer—a disease that might have taken the life of a mother, sister, or favorite aunt—it’s natural to feel a great sense of hope.
One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and many more will be affected by it through a friend or loved one. My mother had breast cancer. Fortunately, she was cured. With my lineage, I know there’s a good chance the disease is in my future, too.
So when I heard that researchers at Kansas State University have developed a blood test that can rapidly detect breast cancer (as well as non-small cell lung cancer) in its earliest stages, I was intrigued. With breast cancer—as well as most other cancers—early detection is essential. The sooner the disease is found, the better the chance treatment will be successful.
How the test works
According to cancer researchers Stefan Bossmann and Deryl Troyer, their experimental test can identify cancer before symptoms appear by detecting unique enzyme patterns given off by cancer cells. The test exposes a tiny amount of a person’s blood to iron nanoparticles coated with amino acids and a dye. The particles interact with cancer enzymes to form signature patterns, which doctors can detect.
“We can see cancers that do not show up with current imaging technology, and that are too small to be seen by other methods,” says Dr. Bossmann, who is a professor of chemistry at Kansas State University. Cancers from different types of cells (breast vs. lung, for example) give off slightly different enzyme signatures.
The researchers say their test can detect very early breast cancers (stages 0 and 1), as well as early lung cancers (stages 1 and 2), within an hour, with 95% accuracy. They discovered this after testing their method on 32 participants with various stages of breast or lung cancer, as well as on a 12-person control group without cancer.
Questions and cautions
“These findings are very exciting, but extremely preliminary,” says Dr. Judy Garber, director of the Center for Cancer Genetics and Prevention at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. The study was very small, it hasn’t yet been published, and it still leaves several unanswered questions.
For example, what happens if the test does identify a very tiny, very early cancer? Will a follow-up CT or MRI scan be able to detect it to pinpoint its location? If not, will doctors still need to wait until the cancer grows before they can remove it? Also, will the test lead to real increases in survival, or will patients who test positive be subjected to unnecessary tests and treatments for an early-stage cancer that might never have spread? (This is currently part of a big debate about the prostate-specific antigen blood test for prostate cancer.)
A British team is about to launch a large study to find a different type of blood test for early breast cancer. By taking blood samples from thousands of women attending breast cancer screening clinics, they hope to find genetic markers in DNA that signal an increased risk for the disease.
“The bottom line is that screening for early cancer in healthy people must be done with great care, and tests must show not only that they can detect cancer early, but also that it makes a difference when they do,” Dr. Garber says.
“This is an interesting application of nanotechnology on a difficult problem,” she adds. “It is very early in its development, and will need to be validated in large population-based screening studies.”
Dr. Bossmann agrees that his research is still in its preliminary stages. “It was very encouraging, but this is maybe the fifth step on a long, long way,” he says. Next, he and his colleagues plan to study the test in people with pancreatic cancer. They’re also launching a study using blood samples from more than 200 women with breast cancer, in collaboration with the University of Kansas. He says it could be five years before the test comes into practical use—and that’s only if it proves effective in large-scale studies.
No medical miracles
As much as we long for a test that will spot breast cancer early enough to save our mothers, sisters, or even ourselves, we need to remember that there are no overnight successes in medicine. There is only meticulously conducted research, tested and retested in large groups of people until a positive result is achieved.
A rapid and accurate test for early-stage breast cancer may very well be perfected someday. Until then, the best thing women can do is to follow established screening guidelines, which for now means talking to their doctor about their risks, and getting regular mammograms.
I am not large breasted and I almost never wear a bra. The challenge I come up against is when I need to dress up (which for me means not wearing “barn clothes”) and summertime. I don’t like my nipples to show as I think this looks indecent. I have tried wearing a tank top under my shirt but find this doesn’t really take care of the problem and it means a whole other layer – too much in the heat. I think pockets on the front of shirts is a solution but haven’t had time to make myself shirts like this. I am not going to wear pasties! I don’t like the shirts with shelf bras because I find even this is too binding. What is everyone else doing?
I haven’t yet ordered them, but this bra looks good. It is at DreamProductsCatalog.com. I have not been to their site because I’ll just order some from the ad I found in a Country magazine. they are inexpensive. For a set of three bras, they are $11.97 not counting shipping. I’m going to order them right now, by mail. Thanks for reminding me.
I’ve been wearing this bra for about a year now and love it! I have heavy, pendulous breasts and this does not do any lifting but holds everything in place. I’m beyond worrying about lifting at 69. I did find that they grayed in the wash.
Yours may have gotten gray, but mine will get orange because of the iron in our water.
I was going to order mine today but the P.O. was closed so now I have to wait until next week.
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