Sign the Petition Against the new Mammography Guidelines
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My yearly mammogram found my cancer at age 45. My previous year was clear (digital mammography) and I have seen both. If I had not had a mammogram until age 50 it would have been too late. In the period of a year I had 5 primary cancer sites, 1 secondary cancer site, two invasive forms of cancer with the largest mass already at 2 cm. Thankfully my nodes were clear. I had to have a mastectomy of my left breast, I opted for bilateral. I've had 4 surgeries so far for reconstruction and 6 rounds of chemo (T/C). I think those who made the new recommendations have no understanding of this disease whatsoever. I have the list of the people on this task force. There are no oncologists, pathologists, or radiologists on this task force. They say only 1 in 1900 are saved, if this is true then I am that 1. My family and friends and boyfriend feel I was important enough to save even if these so called "experts" on the task force do not.
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Early detection saved my life. 1/27/09 bilateral masectomy. Six chemo treatments with a full year of Herceptin IV to be completed soon. My sister had breast cancer and had to take a much stronger chemo which caused problems with her bone marrow. She later acquired lukemia and a stem cell transplant was performed with me as the donor. She passed away only six months prior to my diagnosis but I did not have to take the same type of chemo due to early detection. Genes were tested and results show no mutations and thus not heritary. You can never get mammograms too early in life or too frequently.
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Gayle G, diagnosed at age 49 with stage III breast cancer, with lymph node involvement, through a mammogram.
Why stage III? In part, because I missed 2 of my annual mammograms after following a supposedly benign lump for years. I had been having annual mammograms since age 40. And no, I have no genetic history.
I am sure that if I hadn't had screening mammograms before age 50 I would be dead today.
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Diagnosised at August 2008 age 47. didn't think I needed a mammogram... Just goes to show how much we need them!
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Kimberly Patrick
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Laura C - dx age 45 (new puppy pointed it out). Mammo, sono and MRI should be available to all women at any age, they save lives.
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Carol LaPine
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Norah C. - I have very dense, fibrocystic breasts. My sister was diagnosed at 48 and died just before she turned 50 from Stage IV breast cancer. She missed some mammograms because of lack of insurance, which I didn't find out until after she passed away. I've had 3 biopsies in the last five years and the last one found LCIS. Knowing this, mammograms are more important than ever for me. The key to curing this awful disease is early detection, not the woman's age. Even one life saved is worth it!!!
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Before you even begin to think of raising the age for routine screening. How about finding a CURE!
Then none of us will have to worry. I am not interested in playing a numbers game with my life. Perhaps those that feel it unnecessary for early detection should find another line of work. We will worry about the false positives, you find a cure.
Teree Lartigue,
Metairie, Louisiana
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I was diagnosed with Ductal Carcenoma-Insitu-Comedo Type at age 42in my left breast, but opted for the bi-lateral mastectomy. If it was not for my mammogram I don't even want to think about the effect it would have had on me, and my family. As it is, it was caught so early that my lymph nodes were negative !! So I was EXTREMELY lucky and did not have to undergo , chemo, or radiation, and I am going through reconstruction at this time. PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE FORMAT FOR GIVING MAMMOGRAMS !! THEY DO SAVE LIVES !!!!!
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Cindy H - first time dx at age 44 by mammogram, second time dx at age 46 by MRI. Two dx under age 50!
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Diagnosed at age 48 due to yearly mammogram screening. Had no signs or symptoms and had not had a mammogram in three years. Even so, it was caught early enough to be classified Stage I - opted for bilateral mastectomies but no radiation or chemo needed. I feel very lucky. My lumps were there to be felt (my surgeon had to guide me but they were certainly there) but without the mammogram, who knows when I'd have found them and what my outcome would've been. MAMMOGRAMS SAVE LIVES!!!!!!!!!!
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I have had yearly mammograms and this past October (breast cancer awaremess month) the digital mammogram found an "abnormalty". No lump, but breast cancer just the same. DO NOT STOP mammograms at age 40...I have a daughter and granddaughter!! Please!
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Kristy Barnes,New York in memory of Joyce Smith & Marion Terwillegar
I have been having annual mammograms for quite a few years now at age 44.
Newly diagnosed DCIS & mammograms led to core biopsy, tissue removal & there it was -a tiny bit of DCIS. I don't know anymore than that except fear. 3 out of 8 maternal aunts have had breast cancer, 2 had recurrences & 2 died -in addition my mom had a surgical tissue removal believed to be benign. Women should not have to suffer & IF mammograms are so unsafe than we need to have safer,more precise methods of detection like Insurance coverage for MRI or thermal imaging.
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My Godmother died last year from breast cancer, as you can imagine I think the first step to treating and finding a cure is to have your voice be heard. The doctors caught it too late and by the time they did it was already in stage 4.
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DX 12/23/2009 DCIS--Digital Mammogram- age 31! no family history! I'm the lucky Star!--NO LUMP!!! Bilateral Mastectomy- No Insurance- County paid mammogram! Thx so much to the people who trusted that I knew my body!
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I was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer when I was 39 years old, I had two small children ages 6 and 8. I had received mammograms since I was 35 years old due to a strong family history of Breast Cancer. My grandmother died from the side effects of the radiation she received for her breast cancer. If I was not receiving the mammograms at a young age they would have not found my cancer in Stage 1 it could have been more advanced. I had a mastactomy of my left breast with reconstruction. My cancer was not positive for BRACA 1 or 2 I do not know why I got breast cancer, I will always wonder why. Please do not change the Mammography guidelines I want my daughters to have a chance to live their life without cancer and to know that they will be able to get the necessary tests when the time comes. I want all the girls in my daughters school to be able to be tested when the time comes and all the young women out there to be able to be tested today if they need to be tested. We have to help find a way to help.
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I was diagnosed at 39 with a high grade tumor, thanks to a physician's assistant who started me on mammo's at age 35. No family history. Caught it early and plan on living a long time. To me, these mammography guidelines say, "Your life is not worth the trouble."
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After seeing a reminder to get yearly mammograms on "The Doctors" show in early June 2009, I went for my mammo within 2 weeks of the air date. It was almost 18 months since my last one. Since then, I have been repeatly told by the medical community of how lucky I am that this was caught early because my cancer was very aggressive.
What were they thinking?? Or... were they thinking at all??
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At age 35, I was diagnosed by a Breast Self Exam, so I just can't understand where this decision came from. It hurts me to think that this could impact a person like me by insurance companies denying coverage. I also know personally many women who were diagnosed early by a mammogram. In my experience, they are so off base, it is scary! I think that the cost of a lost life is so much higher than the small costs of early dx and treatment, necessary or not.
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I had a Mammogram in November and was told that Medicare would only pay for one every two years. Three days later, I was contacted that I needed to have another one and ultrasound. I have had two surgeries and have Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Am now going into treatment. I will have many Mammograms and people need to have them yearly. Insurance companies get away with murder and are making a fortune. If it was their family, they would feel different. Routine exams are a necessity!
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Rebecca - Diagnosed with IDC in March 2008 at age 49. Stage I. So am very concerned that women are getting advice to not bother with mammograms until their 50s.
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I'm a male breast cancer patient at 55 . I had my left breast taken off ,8 major chemos, 33 radiations , I can now say that , I really know what and how awoman really feels.My cancer went into my lymphoids, I was a 3.5 ,4 was the highest , the biggest thing was never give up ! THANKS TONY, PLEASE DO NOT LET THESE PEOPLE CHANGE THE MAMOGRAM TESTING TO ?TWO YEARS !!
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I'm a male breast cancer patient at 55 . I had my left breast taken off ,8 major chemos, 33 radiations , I can now say that , I really know what and how a woman really feels.My cancer went into my lymphoids, I was a 3.5 ,4 was the highest , the biggest thing was never give up ! THANKS TONY, PLEASE DO NOT LET THESE PEOPLE CHANGE THE MAMOGRAM TESTING TO ?TWO YEARS !!
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L Jones: diagnosed Dec. 2008 after 5 years of annual monitoring with mammograms due to fibrial tissue. Skin sparing mastectomy / tram and reconstruction. Due to early detection and monitoring no chem or radiation was required. I feel like I am one of the "lucky" ones even with a mastectomy. And you want to take this away from us? Are you bleeping kidding???
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Kelli F- diagnosed at age 24. Found a lump in February, didn't get a mammogram until June... I wouldnt have had 10 years, never mind another whole year. I'd rather get checked out every year with the anxiety, then waiting 10 to be told I had a few months to live.
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Mary Harley - diagnosed age 51
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Angela Owens age 44, first mammogram this month - having biopsy Monday Feb 1, lots of family history on mothers side one Aunt dx with cancer age 37, one in her 40s
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Billie Jo Echols - found lump on self exam at age 33. Lots of family history of breast CA on mother's side.
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Diagnosed at age 51... Mascetomy / radiation. Met SO MANY women on this journey who are in their 30's and 40's. We must have mammograms earlier, not later !
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