Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Prevent Breast Cancer

UMC published the following story written by Ruth Cummins.

Getting screened for breast cancer by University of Mississippi Medical Center caregivers, Cindy Ayers-Elliott says, could have saved her life.
 

Ayers-Elliott, a Jackson resident and full-time farmer, hadn’t gone in for a mammogram in two years. She took advantage of the See, Test and Treat program, a part of the College of American Pathologists Foundation, offered annually at UMMC’s Cancer Center and Research Institute at the Jackson Medical Mall.
The free breast and cervical  cancer screens especially target uninsured and underinsured women. Ayers-Elliott, a former investment banker, got unsettling news after her mammogram.
“There was a little mass showing,” she said. “I had to do another screening. UMMC made it all so seamless and easy, and they reached back to my last mammogram at a different place and got my records. They were able to compare the scans to make a better decision on what to do.”
The second scan confirmed the mass was fatty tissue, not cancer, but it strengthened Ayers Elliott’s resolve never to miss another annual mammogram. “Every woman should have the opportunity to have peace of mind about her body,” Ayers-Elliott said. “To have this done made a big difference in my peace of mind.”
Her message drives home the purpose of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Observed every October and organized by major breast cancer charities nationwide, it strives to raise awareness about the importance of finding breast cancer early through screenings such as a mammogram.
Dr. Shawn McKinney, associate professor of surgery and a fellowship-trained breast surgeon, said breast cancer screenings can detect cancer in its earliest, most treatable stage.
“It is important for women to get regular yearly screening mammography in order for the radiologist to compare the images and potentially pick up subtle changes before symptoms arise such as a palpable mass,” McKinney said. “If an early-stage breast cancer is found, the patient has the potential to avoid more aggressive surgery and/or chemotherapy.  The later, and larger the abnormality, the greater the likelihood that more aggressive therapy will be needed.”
A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast that detects breast changes. In a process that should take no more than 20 minutes, the breast is compressed between two plastic plates for a few seconds while an X-ray is taken. It’s repositioned and compressed again several times to take different views.
Flattening the breast is uncomfortable, but it’s needed to provide a clearer view. If a doctor finds something suspicious, he or she will usually have the patient return for new X-rays or other tests. Suspicious readings could mean dense or fatty breast tissue, a cyst, an abscess or a tumor, which could be benign or cancerous.
 The Medical Center also offers three-dimensional mammograms, capturing multiple slices of the breast at different angles, then bringing them together to create crystal-clear images that reconstruct the patient’s breast.
Breast cancer develops from cells in the breast, with the most common sign a new lump or mass. Other signs include swelling of part of a breast, even if no lump is present; skin irritation or dimpling; nipple pain or retraction; redness or scaly appearance of the nipple or breast skin; or a discharge other than breast milk.
Most lumps or masses are benign, but the earlier breast cancer is found, the better the chances for successful treatment. A mammogram can often show breast changes that could be cancer before physical symptoms develop.
The American Cancer Society estimates that this year, there will be 268,600 new cases of breast cancer in women and 2,670 in men. Deaths caused by breast cancer this year are estimated at 41,760 for women and 500 for men.
And, the society says, the five-year relative survival rate for a breast cancer that hasn’t yet spread is 99 percent, and for that same time period for all breast cancer stages combined, 92 percent for white women and 83 percent for African-American women.
Those most at risk of invasive breast cancers are women age 50 or older, but being a woman is the main risk factor. Breast cancer risk also is higher among women with a family history. It’s important to remember, though, that most women with breast cancer don’t have a close relative who had the disease.
The Medical Center follows the guidelines of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, which recommends that women of average risk for breast cancer get a breast exam every year beginning at age 25, and an annual screening beginning at age 40. The NCCN also says women should consider three-dimensional mammography for their annual screening.
In some cases, the NCCN recommends more frequent or earlier mammograms for women at increased risk because of personal or family breast cancer history.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sadly, good intentions and a bias in favor of "screening" (and incentivized specialties like radiology) drive mammography. The hard-core truth is that there is little benefit from mammography. But you can't tell that to the believers ("They saved my life"). Ask the thousands of women who have gone through repeated biopsies (for benign disease) and who are left with scars if mammography "saves lives." Huge area of medical controversy.

Anonymous said...

5:56 - No more 'huge' than the MRI equipment owned by groups of doctors who refer their patients to each others' machines (in order to appear ethical). And the same with their ownership of physical therapy store-fronts.

Ahem; one of the physicians/surgeons at Capital Ortho owns the surgical building/clinic he uses on Lakeland. And every 'foot doctor' in town sells ortho shoes in his/her lobby. Need we also address all the optometrists who make the big bucks selling lenses and frames?

It's all a money-grabbing shit-show.

Anonymous said...

No controversy here, my wife found a very early stage 1 cancer through screening.

Anonymous said...

October 23, 2019 at 5:56 PM: You couldn't be more misinformed about the value of mammography. Don't take one story out of Redbook and use it as a substitute for decades of epidemiological research.

Anonymous said...

5:56.
What’s better having a mammogram and finding it benign or not having one and finding it at stage 4. Like many my wife is still alive because hers was discovered early and treatment was effective. You and yours are free to do as you wish but don’t be critical of those that choose to minimize their risk.

Anonymous said...

To those who have made ignorant comments about my 5:56 posting: Please learn to read the medical literature and actually think. Here are tow (of many) articles slamming screening mammography. You may be familiar with (not Redbook) JAMA Oncology and the European Journal of Cancer? Or do you read?

Overestimation of the Benefit-to-Harm Ratio of Risk-Based Mammography Screening in the United Kingdom.
Autier P.
JAMA Oncol. 2019 Mar

Mammography screening: A major issue in medicine.
Autier P, Boniol M.
Eur J Cancer. 2018

Anonymous said...

2:55. I’m sure the “free” health care program in the UK advocates limiting test because of the cost that’s all well and good as long as you’re not the one who would have benefited. There are many advocating not doing PSA test for the same reasons. I’ve had a lot of friends who have had prostrate cancer. Those who had their PSA checked on a regular basis and got it early are still. The others are in the ground. I’ll take my chinches with a false positive you do your way

Anonymous said...

2:55. The PSA is one of th worst clinical tests ever relied upon. At a minimum, you should never accept it without a full understanding of what it does: PSA puts you on a conveyor belt to biopsy and all its complications including a nasty infection, possible hospitalization and occasional death. It can be "normal" in cancer. Worse, most of the "abnormal" levels are not meaningful cancer. So after the conveyor belt takes you to biopsy, the biopsy (e.g., Gleason grade 3+3 adenocarcinoma) leads you to surgery (including total prostatectomy) or radiation, neither of which you need! You can safely do nothing with such "cancers" because they do not kill. I am not a fan of the plaintiff bar, but it will hep us all when Morgan and Morgan start going after the horrendous over-treatment of prostate "cancer."



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Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


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Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


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Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

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