Save your ta-tas and your life The compelling case for regular mammograms
Further Proof of the Life-Saving Benefits of Regular Mammograms
A woman who gets her regular mammograms as scheduled is much less likely to meet her doom at the hands of breast cancer than if she skips screenings, a new study shows. It’s like playing a game of hide-and-seek with cancer cells, and the mammogram is your secret weapon for finding them before they wreak havoc on your body.
According to researchers, women with breast cancer who undergo all their scheduled mammograms have a survival rate of 80%. But for those who don’t participate in any screenings, their odds of survival can sink as low as 59%. It’s like going into a battle unarmed, hoping for the best but likely facing a devastating defeat.
“The purpose of mammography is to detect breast cancer during the few years it can be seen on a mammogram, but before symptoms are apparent,” explained researcher Robert Smith, the senior vice president and director of the American Cancer Society Center for Cancer Screening. It’s like getting a sneak peek into the enemy’s territory and strategizing your defenses before they even strike.
Think of it this way: if a woman unknowingly has breast cancer and misses or postpones her mammogram when she has no symptoms, she may lose the opportunity for early detection. It’s a missed window of opportunity that could cost her life. We can’t let cancer sneak up on us unnoticed, lurking in the shadows like a cunning thief.
That’s why the American Cancer Society recommends mammograms annually for women between the ages of 45 and 54. And if you’re 55 or older, you can switch to every other year if you like. It’s like having a yearly check-up with a trusted doctor, keeping a watchful eye on your health to catch any signs of trouble.
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To highlight the importance of sticking to this schedule, Smith and his colleagues dove into the data. They analyzed information from over 36,000 breast cancer patients in Sweden from 1992 to 2016, ultimately unearthing over 4,500 breast cancer deaths. It’s like peeling back layers of information, searching for the hidden truths within the numbers.
What they found was astounding. Women who attended all five screening mammograms saw a whopping 72% reduction in their risk of dying from breast cancer compared to those who skipped screenings. It’s like having an extra layer of armor, protecting you from the enemy’s lethal blows.
Even after adjusting for other factors, the women who got their scheduled mammograms still had a remarkable 66% reduction in their risk of breast cancer death. It’s like having a forcefield around you, deflecting the dangerous elements that could harm you.
“These findings show that, as much as possible, adherence to regular mammography screening is the very best insurance a woman has against being diagnosed with an advanced breast cancer that could be life-threatening,” Smith emphasized. It’s like having a superhero cape, shielding you from the perils of breast cancer.
So, ladies, let’s prioritize our health and make those mammogram appointments. Life may throw curveballs our way, but we can’t let them knock us off track. Remember, regular mammograms are our secret weapon against breast cancer – a battle we can’t afford to lose.
More information
The American Cancer Society has more about breast cancer screening.
This content is based on the original article by Dennis Thompson from HealthDay Reporter. For more details, you can read the full article here.
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