Interesting article.

starseed
starseed Member Posts: 62
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Not meant to inflame, but information is power.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37690573/ns/health-cancer

Comments

  • Christine Louise
    Christine Louise Member Posts: 426 Member
    #2
    Yes, it is interesting
    Researchers and doctors are fighting this war with us, bless 'em. Anyone currently being tested or treated for cancer can only do what is currently known to be effective. Hopefully, diagnostics and treatments will continue to be "tweaked" until they are more effective. These kinds of reports can be confusing and frustrating now, but I'm so glad there's funding to continue the research.
  • HeartofSoul
    HeartofSoul Member Posts: 729 Member
    #3
    Christine Louise said:

    Yes, it is interesting
    Researchers and doctors are fighting this war with us, bless 'em. Anyone currently being tested or treated for cancer can only do what is currently known to be effective. Hopefully, diagnostics and treatments will continue to be "tweaked" until they are more effective. These kinds of reports can be confusing and frustrating now, but I'm so glad there's funding to continue the research.

    the cancers that seem to be
    the cancers that seem to be highlighted in article is DCIS breast, thyroid, and prostrate, often slow moving ones in very early stages 0,1
  • starseed
    starseed Member Posts: 62
    #4
    HeartofSoul said:

    the cancers that seem to be
    the cancers that seem to be highlighted in article is DCIS breast, thyroid, and prostrate, often slow moving ones in very early stages 0,1

    I agree. And mine was not the one mentioned, but I know a couple of ladies who did have the
    ductal insitu and went through all this stuff----maybe unnecessarily. I even looked into
    an alternative to mammograms called "breast thermography"--trying to stay away from stinking radiation. Some docs really like it, some pooh-pooh it and I'm not suggesting we use it exclusively, but if it's a tool to be used in conjunction WITH the standard--I'm all for it.I am and will always feel I am truly blessed to have my diagnosis, and my heart goes out to any and all who are going through much worse--you are the heros. What we do need to do as a collection of strong like minded folks is stay on top--as much as we can--
    of information and research and continue to hammer the powers that be to give us better,
    less disruptive treatment. Give us something to strengthen our own body defenses instead of constantly beating the crap out of it.Though my surgeon doesn't agree with some of the articles I send him--especially on "non standard care" at least he does read them because
    he'll respond to what I've sent---course it could be that button I have that says
    "Piss me off-Pay the consequences"....ROFLMAO!!!
  • greyhoundluvr
    greyhoundluvr Member Posts: 402
    #5
    Interesting Report
    and I can certainly see their points especially with the prostate cancer. I don't think the PSA results have been nearly as reliable as they thought they would years ago. And without doubt, we have all learned that there are a variety of opinions out there amongst the medical community as to how aggressively to treat conditions like DCIS and it becomes a very tough decision. I think what they have overlooked is that part of the challenge is that the diagnostic tests available for BC at this time are not conclusive. For example, my BC was picked up on routine mammogram. MRI was done which showed two "satellite" tumors that didn't show on mammogram (onc said this is probably where the cancer originated)but there were also multiple other areas lit up which they didn't think were of concern but they couldn't be positive. It turned out that the MRI was correct and it didn't have any impact on my decision regarding surgery since I planned a bilateral mastectomy but it would have been a lot harder to decide if I had been looking at other options and the tests weren't sure. I agree that diagnostic tests are probably used to excess but I sure wouldn't want to draw the line when it comes to problems that can be life-threateing.

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