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[panthers]

I have recently read an article in the Daily Mail concerning Breast Cancer Screening (The women saying no to breast cancer screening).  4,800 women a year are being diagnosed with DCIS and consequently treated with mastectomy etc.  Iona Heath (former President of the Royal College of General Practitioners) states in the article that she and several colleagues would not go for breast screening.  I have recently had a letter through to go for a mammagram and don't know what to do.  The leaflet with it states 'about 3 in every 200 women screened every 3 years from the age of 50 - 70 are diagnosed with a cancer that would never have been found without screening and would never have become life threatening.  This adds up to about 4,000 women each year in the UK who are offered treatment they did not need.  Overall for evey one women who has her life saved from breast cancer, about 3 women are diagnosed with a cancer that would never have become life threatening.  This is a really scary prospect - any thoughts?

[Dancinggirl]

This is a difficult one.  I have to say that unless I am on HRT I wouldn't have this screening. I have no breast cancer in my family and I would worry that I could go through unnecessary procedures and treatments.  I know at least one lady who did have a mastectomy and reconstruction that resulted in long recovery times and she had very early stage cells discovered that may or may not have developed further.  I think I would opt to be monitored if early signs were detected. Another dear friend of mine was actually given the all clear from a scan and then six months later her nipple looked strange, she had it investigated and she had aggressive breast cancer resulting in every treatment imaginable to save her life!!!
Is screening a good idea generally?  I am about to turn 60 and have had 'that letter' from the NHS asking me to attend a 'health check'.  I am slim, I am active, I try to eat well, I don't smoke and I drink very little alcohol - so to be told I might have slightly raised blood pressure or slightly high cholesterol and then given advice from one of the rather fat practise nurses at the GP practise seems ridiculous and patronising.
If I am concerned about anything health wise, then I go to the GP.
Having said all this, I know 2 people who have done the 'poo' test and their bowel cancer has been caught early and they are both doing well - so I may well do that test.   DG x

[CLKD]

My cancer wasn't found by mammogram but on examination in the bath.  The Surgeon didn't know if it would have spread fast but he told me 'no healthy breast has a lump'.  The cancer changes were in the outer regions of the lump, not in the breast  itself. I would rather undergo surgery and treatment 'in case' it could spread.

I had regular mammos until 5 years ago, I go for my next one in the middle of Feb.. There is a lot of info accompanying the letter inviting me for the X-ray.  It also states that not many breast cancers are genetic. 

I recently had a letter from our Practice Nurse to attend for a blood test.  'Associated' with the Alzheimer's Society  .  The Nurse asked questions about any family history of stroke (yep) but she didn't enquire what; high BP - nope.  NOTHING was discussed about memory loss within close family members nor did she ask if I have memory problems (yep).  I felt that the blood test and associated questions would better have been fronted by The Stroke Association.  The blood test has shown something amiss with kidney function so I go for a repeat blood test this week. 

I do the poo test every 3 years - any tests that we go for should be part of on-going studies.  I've also joined a group to be called for research into memory problems. 

[dahliagirl]

Margaret McCartney has written quite a bit about the downsides of screening.

It is inevitable that if you screen the whole population for something, there will be some that have it, a lot that don't have it, and a grey area in the middle.  How the test accuracy and treatments affect the ones in the middle will make all the difference as to whether it is worthwhile.

The old information was too biased about the success of the scheme and the newer information they give you is more realistic.

I got recalled at the last one.  They were very thorough and thankfully I did not have to have a biopsy or anything (only a small number of those recalled go on to have this).  TBH, the screening staff were not so good, but the clinic staff were the best I have met in the NHS and would have done anything to make sure that there was nothing, and had many procedures to double check. ( They sort of reminded me of the film Mousehunt, where they hunt the mouse with such an obsession that there is no house left at the end  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MouseHunt_(film) )  However, there are a lot of very good people and very good procedures in the breast clinics, that I think they will become increasingly accurate as time goes on.

You are allowed to not accept your invite - you do not have to be taken off the scheme altogether - you can always go to the next one if you want.  Whatever you do, you need to be aware of any changes yourself anyway, and see the doctor for a referral if you are worried.

[CLKD]

It never crosses my mind not to attend 

[coldethyl]

Then have just or are about to overhaul the screening programme in Sweden I think because the number of lives saved isn't commensurate with the number of invasive procedures and treatments carried out following mammograms. I think part of the problem is that often cancers detected in the age group called for mammograms are often so slow growing that you'll keel over of something else first , and also you get women at risk are given more with the risk of cancer developing from radiography exposure so the benefits have a lot to live up to.

[CLKD]

Are there are blind studies regarding the danger of radiation cancers, after all, we sit for hours in front of computer screens and mobiles are common place 

[countrybumpkin]

My mother had a very very aggresive breast cancer that was not a lump just scattering of cells throughout her breast and this was picked up on her first ever mammo and would never ever have been found by exam as it would not have formed a lump.  She got another 9 years of life from that mammo!

Anyone who is diagnosed with DCIS should know that they have a pre cancerous condition usually and it might never ever become life threatening, then they can decide if they want to watch and wait rather than go in guns blazing but the nhs seems to treat it like full blown agressive breast cancer. 

Its impossible to know whats best to do - I have a friend who refuses all screening of any kind as she does not want to undego any treatment and will accept whatever happens whereas after my mother I tend to favour screening but with better information.

[CLKD]

NHS is short of money and time so I think that the tenancy is to 'go in'  .  Also, if a patien takes the 'watch and wait' course and then has cancer there may be a risk of them trying to sue the NHS which neither side can afford. 

Countrybumpkin - did your Mum have on-going treatment or was it treatment and then better?

[countrybumpkin]

NHS is short of money and time so I think that the tenancy is to 'go in'  .  Also, if a patien takes the 'watch and wait' course and then has cancer there may be a risk of them trying to sue the NHS which neither side can afford. 

Countrybumpkin - did your Mum have on-going treatment or was it treatment and then better?

She had a mastectomy and then radiotherapy and tamoxifen but back then in the early 1990's they did not offer chemo even though she had some cancerous lymph nodes as well.  Times change!  She took the tamoxifen for 5 years and then stopped as advised but 2? years later she had got secondaries in her liver and bones.  She then went onto the newer anti oestrogen drug and lived another 2 years.  I actually think she would have lived much longer that she did but she was taking thyroxine medication for underactive thryoid and her Gp never checked her levels in over 2 years and she was severely overdosing and had to take high dose steriods for thryoid eye disease and it seems as if these finished her off within weeks but who knows?

[CLKD]

It really is Trial and Error isn't it >Countrybumpkin<

[panthers]

Thanks ladies.  Still not sure what road to go down .  I had my health check last year and had blood tests in December to rule out RA - it is actually osteoarthritis which is mainly in my hands.  Liver etc were all checked at the same time.  I am not overweight, do not smoke, eat relatively healthily and have the occasional glass of wine.  Bowel screening was carried out last October and my smear is due next February.  All in all I try and keep healthy but this issue has really made me think!  It has made it more difficult as I lost a friend to breast cancer after being given the 5 year all clear (it spread to her bones and brain).  This after going through a year of hell.  Not sure whether treatment made the outcome any better.  Mammagram not due to the middle of March so will give me time to make a decision.

[Dorothy]

I don't go for any routine screening - people make a huge fuss because 'you could die from undetected cancer'.  Well, guess what?  We are all going to die from SOMETHING.  I guess it depends on your outlook on life.  I'd rather avoid the stress of the various health checks (plus the risk of something going wrong during them - a friend has recently had to have breast surgery after a major blunder during a mammogram causes extensive damage) and take my chances of something going too far to treat before I spot any symptoms, because I have to die at some point anyway.  I've got other friends who take every test on the planet because it gives them 'peace of mind'.    Each to their own.

[Hurdity]

panthers - I haven't really thought twice about it - I've been for all of mine and go for any routine NHS tests that are offered, including blood tests referrals etc but they don't worry me at all eg once had a recall for mammogram but they said the results weren't clear. My last mammogram was last Feb - I've had 4 now. I did read the leaflet though ie re stats about the unnecessary treatments. I wouldn't want to be the women though who refused a scan and whose cancer might have been picked up and would have been one that was serious/malignant. Sounds like you go for most of yours too. Good luck with your decision.

Hurdity x

[CLKD]

I always wonder too: if someone has had treatment for breast cancer but dies from another cancer later in Life, was it triggered by the breast disease? and how would anyone know?  Also, breast disease is in the News more often than the other cancers  so it looks as if there are more people dying from it than the other cancers! because 'they' are trying to get Research Grants ……..

Mum had a type of breast disease at age 65 which would not have been found on palpation.  Mastectomy on the affected side, 1 follow up and no treatment suggested. She's 90 later this year  . 


Don't leave it too long because if you need to cancel, it will give another lady the opportunity!