HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Breast cancer screening reduces deaths but overdiagnoses

evergreen · 10-30-2012, 08:52 PM

Well, I would have been happy to have been diagnosed at all, let alone over-diagnosed, when the screening mammogram of my dense breasts was clear one month and showing a 3.5 cm lump 8 months later. Maybe it was just fast growing,
I think what needs more study and attention is warning women that a mammogram of a dense breast is like "trying to find a polar bear in a snowstorm".
I guess I'm just feeling cranky.
And what I don't understand is, how can you be overdiagnosed/over treated? I don't think you would have chemo or radiation without a biopsy, right?

10-30-2012, 08:52 PM	#2
evergreen Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 62	Re: Breast cancer screening reduces deaths but overdiagnoses Well, I would have been happy to have been diagnosed at all, let alone over-diagnosed, when the screening mammogram of my dense breasts was clear one month and showing a 3.5 cm lump 8 months later. Maybe it was just fast growing, I think what needs more study and attention is warning women that a mammogram of a dense breast is like "trying to find a polar bear in a snowstorm". I guess I'm just feeling cranky. And what I don't understand is, how can you be overdiagnosed/over treated? I don't think you would have chemo or radiation without a biopsy, right? __________________ Dx Nov 2010 at age 65 - 3.5 cm invasive ductal, 8 of 15 nodes. ER-,PR-, HER+++. Lumpectomy, chemo, 6 weeks rads, 52 weeks herceptin finished April 2012. CAT,PET, bone scan, ultrasound and mammogram in Spring 2012 - NED. Cherishing every day, but realistically "watching my back" (or should I say "front"? Eating foods thought to fight cancer, exercising every other day,using my garden as my mecca of peace, and loving my supportive husband more than ever.