breast cancer mammograms in the usa

you may be aware that a committee was established to look at mammograms for women in the usa. it has now made the recommendations and they are that women over 50 have a mammogram every two years.

unlike australia, where you can have them from 40 onwards (fighting to have it from 30 given the numbers of women getting breast cancer in their 30's. here we still have them every two years and have breast checks by gp, gyneo's to make sure there are no lumps. we also do monthly breast checks.

it was though interesting to find out that the committee had not radioligsts, no doctors, no specialists of any kind in regards to breast cancer. this would explain this decision because the experts have had no imput into the committee. they don't even say for women to know their bodies or really support breast examinations or monthly breast checks. but we all know here in australia that these types of things are very important to find lumps and have them treated if they are malignent/have chemo and radium.

keep up your breast exams, monthly breast checks and know your body/boobies shape so that if something doesn't look right, can be look at asap. any lump anywhere in your body that you know shouldn't be there should be seen to asap. also any symptoms like headaches, nausea, numb limbs, etc should be followed up as well. it may not be that dreaded cancer word but it is important to eliminate all possibilities of what it could be - stroke, migraines, pinched nerves, etc.

robyn