hi Swiss. so sorry to hear about your friend's condition. lately i've been hearing sad news of family friends with terminal illness, and it's just heart breaking. No words can ease the pain for those aflicted and their loved ones. My thoughts are with you and your friend.

Thank you for caring to post this and for reminding us something as simple as an annual checkup.
Y
YouMeCo, Aug 29, 2007 @ 01:37

Thanks for sharing this with us... really sorry to hear that about your friend.
very strong post that will make me pick up my phone and call for an appointment

courage
bisous
Z
Zohra, Aug 29, 2007 @ 01:51

I have two cousines (about my age) who had the routine check-up a year ago, discovered a tumor in time, were operated and survived - met them last week in Holland, they are fine.
But what an awful illness.....

jasper, Aug 29, 2007 @ 09:16

Really sorry to hear this, Swiss! Life is not fair, hard to get used to it.

Working in an international cancer organization and previous institutions in public health, I have seen a paradigm change in the field of early detection and prevention in various diseases ...Some long believed principles have been challenged by more recent studies...

Quoted from American Cancer Society

“.....most organizations that issue recommendations endorse regular mammography as an important part of preventive care. However, while it is true that screen-detected breast cancers are associated with reduced morbidity and mortality, the majority of women who participate in screening will not develop breast cancer in their lifetime. Screening also will not benefit all women who are diagnosed with breast cancer, and it leads to harms in women who undergo biopsy for abnormalities that are not breast cancer, as well as those who are overtreated for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) that might have been nonprogressive. Thus, in addition to benefits, limitations of screening and harms associated with screening are addressed in this guideline update.”

Before this guideline, negative sides of mass screen were not properly addressed and women were not informed. In general, asking women under 40(some studies even argue under 50’s) to be screened for breast cancer annually with mammography is NOT medically justifiable (unless women in increased risk, such family history…).

The potential harm associate with false-positive findings through mass screening program should not be ignored since it has huge negative life impact to many “healthy” women.

In an ideal medical system, people should be fully informed both the benefits and limitation of screening (all cancers not only BC) and the possibility of “harms” associated with false-positive findings. The amount of false positive findings, that healthy women being diagnosed as breast cancer patient is just too huge to be ignored.

"False positives are a significant problem with mammograms. 43% of women screened annually for breast cancer for 10 years will have a finding that is not cancer (false positive) but that requires further workup)" * And this is in the US....

I think concerned people should empower themselves with proper knowledge, most update available data, discuss with their doctors, talk to other patients with similar encounters, get a second opinion, always stay positive… Universal guideline is designed to be applied to an average condition but each person is unique, special and needs to be treated individually. Just my humble personal opinion, BC is not my subject of study.

For more information:
American Cancer Society : Updated Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines Released
www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_

Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2000 Oct 18;92(20):1657-1666*
http://www.wisc.edu/wolberg/References/104201.htm

wayne, Aug 29, 2007 @ 10:06

Not everyone knows this story (Swiss does) and i do not generally tell it. My wife died from breast cancer aged 40. She got the disease aged 32 when our girls were aged just 4 and 5. We did not live Switzerland at that time but after we moved here the cancer returned.
All i would say here is that in Switzerland there is some fantastic health care (i have no complaints). Regarding screening for Breast Cancer...i would say go for it because i believe age 40 or 50 depending where you live is late. Breast cancer in young women can be agressive...so if you have any worries dont think twice about seeing the Dr.
So its not all bad news...just be proactive with your health.
doublegin, Aug 29, 2007 @ 11:11

My mum risked to die of it when we bros were very young (I think 5, 3 and 1 y.o.).
Please, ladies, get checked every now and then. No need to worry, but just in case.
Stef__Granny, Aug 29, 2007 @ 12:10

Thank you very much Swiss for sharing this and for raising awareness.
Unfortunately, as time goes by, we all know close friends or family who suffer or died from this awful illness. I also went through this hard feelings of distress and helplessness, so I am really sorry for you, your friend and wife, even it sounds a bit useless to say...
Thank you Wayne for the information and thank you Tinkie for this very interesting website I did not know about. I think Sylvie raised an important point: It's essential to go regularly to a gynecologist, that's the first step of follow-up.
Besides, it's important to know that, if cancer is more frequent over 40, the illness worsens faster under 40. So in a way it's more difficult to cure a younger woman and the ilness will be widespread quicker. That's why checking is so important even for young women.
Thank you again Swiss, it's great to have a post on this subject.
aurelie, Aug 29, 2007 @ 12:43

Thank you all! ...for caring and sharing ! (nt)
SWISS, Aug 29, 2007 @ 16:28

my mother died of breast cancer, so i know all about the importance of getting checked. however, my mother got checked regularly and unfortunately, it wasn't the mammography that picked up her lump, but herself. some cancer is hereditary, so the best is to get a blood test, but again, it might not necessarily show up there either.

finally, men also get breast cancer, so they should also be careful!

Swiss, sorry to hear about your friend. the best you can do is be with her.
Minda, Aug 29, 2007 @ 18:37