Mammography has been promoted as the best way to screen women for breast cancer. There is no question that mammography identifies breast cancer at an earlier stage when compared to older techniques like the breast exam. However, the key question to ask is, “Do women who undergo mammography have a lowered mortality rate compared to women who do not undergo mammography?”
As reported in a September, 2015 study in JAMA Internal Medicine article, researchers studied 16,120,349 women over the age of 40 who resided in 547 counties across the U.S. during a one-year period. The researchers correlated their findings with breast cancer incidence and mortality data during the ensuing 10 years. The scientists found a direct correlation between screening mammography and breast cancer incidence. In fact, they found a 16% mean increased incidence of breast cancer in women screened with mammography. However, there was no significant change in mortality in those screened with mammography. The authors noted, “Although it has been hoped that screening would allow breast-conserving surgical procedures to replace more extensive mastectomies, we saw no evidence supporting this change.”
Comment:
2 years ago, I wrote about the failure of mammograms in reducing mortality from breast cancer in my Natural Way to Health Newsletter (http://w3.newsmax.com/newsletters/brownstein/breast_cancer.cfm). Now, this new study confirmed that screening mammograms still do not change the mortality rate. Folks, this study is very important. For a breast cancer screening test to effective, the test should result in an increased detection of small cancers, decrease the detection of large, advanced cancers (since they would have been detected at an earlier stage) and, most importantly, reduce breast cancer mortality. Unfortunately, screening mammograms, used for nearly 30 years, have never been shown to alter breast cancer mortality. And, to make matters worse, mammography exposes sensitive tissue to ionizing radiation which actually causes cancer. In fact, it is estimated that each mammogram increases a woman’s risk of breast cancer by 1%. After 10 years of mammograms, a woman’s risk may increase by 10%.
Clearly we need a better path. What should be happening is that the Powers-That-Be, such as the American Cancer Society and the Komen Foundation, should be promoting research that would identify why one in seven U.S. women have breast cancer instead of promoting a screening test—mammography–that has never been proven to decrease the mortality rate from breast cancer.
We need more research on what is actually causing the breast cancer epidemic. Remember, mammograms are used to diagnose breast pathology. What are some of the factors leading to the epidemic of breast cancer? I have no doubt that the synthetic, estrogen-like hormones in our food supply as well as the synthetic, unnatural hormones commonly prescribed by conventional health care providers are both a large part of the breast cancer problem. We need to identify which hormones are problematic and which are not. We know that synthetic hormones like progestins (synthetic progesterone such as Provera) as well as those found in birth control pills increase the risk of breast cancer. Women (and men) should refuse to use any synthetic hormone prescribed by their health care provider when a natural, bioidentical version is available.
Another factor that can lead to an increased risk of breast cancer is iodine deficiency. Iodine levels have fallen over 50% in the U.S. over the last 40 years. During that same time, breast cancer rates have skyrocketed. Identifying and treating iodine deficiency could go a long way to eradicating the breast cancer epidemic.
More information about iodine and its’ role in breast cancer can be found in my book, Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It, 5th Edition.
Unless conventional medicine chooses a different path, I fear the epidemic of hormone-sensitive cancers—breast, prostate, ovarian, uterine, and thyroid–will only increase. However, you can take matters into your own hands and educate yourself about where synthetic hormones are found in our environment. Then you can make better choices about which foods you eat, which drugs you take and which supplements you need.
DrB
Thank you for your article…I have read your book…how do I get tested for iodine…how would I know how much to take?
Jean,
I would refer you to my book for those answers.
DrB
Lubov, go to breastcancerchoices.org and under the Iodine Resources tab, look for the Iodine proficient practitioners directory.
Hello Dr.Brownstein,
I was wondering if you could point me towards some of your iodine-knowledgeable colleagues since you are not accepting any more patients.
Thank you so much!
What is your opinion of thermal imaging instead of mammograms?
Thermography is used in areas of Europe as the primary imaging test when it comes to a breast exam. I routinely send my patients for a thermographic exam.
DrB
I went in to Beaumont today to have a breast ultrasound and they refused care to me because my OB wrote no mammogram and I refused to have one. It is Beaumont’s policy to force women to have a mammogram if they are scheduled for an ultrasound. I am not sure if this is standard practice at local hospitals or not? A patient should have the right to decide what medical procedures they have. Thank you for this article! I am happy I refused treatment:)
Patients should be informed that our Supreme Court gave corporations permission to direct market patients in 1986 and it was General Electric who saw the opportunity to push their business with direct marketed mammograms. There was never a single study to prove safety prior to the mass marketing and even worse, there have been no mandatory secondary opinions from independent physicians resulting in horrific outcomes for women fraudulently diagnosed with breast cancer. Men should never be in control over a women’s body for profit. We have all been sold to the Insurance Industry & Big Pharma and you only thought it was illegal for people to own another person. Your rights to speak for yourself are being legislated away until you have no rights at all!
Americans fought for the right to take their car to the auto mechanic of their choice, their car has replaceable parts and will likely last them about 10 years. Your body on the other hand does not have replaceable parts and you want it to last for 90 healthy years but with forced immunizations that are known to contain viral particles that cause cancer there is very little hope that you will make it to 90 healthy or with any money. Most physicians have sold their soul for the almighty buck and they will make profit off of keeping you sick with their drugs and forced disease management that is never designed to help you but only designed to cause problems requiring further care.
So think about this, if you took your car to a mechanic that kept your car broken so you had to keep bringing it back every single month how long would it take for you to fire that mechanic?
Dr. Olson,
I do not believe that most doctors have sold their sole. They may be ignorant or misguided, but most doctors want to do the right thing. In the case of vaccines, I believe they need to educate themselves about what is in a vaccine and how effective they are.
DrB
No surprise this information you have shared. The point that “mammography exposes sensitive tissue to ionizing radiation which actually causes cancer” should NOT be ignored.
Thank you for what you do!
Linda
Dear Dr. Brownstein, could please share your thoughts regarding question :”if Iodine deficiency cause or lead to multifibroid uterus?
Thank you.
In an earlier comment I mentioned that 17 years ago I had a mammogram which revealed a tumor. What I failed to mention is that 2days later I had another test which the tumor did not show up. The radiologist suggested I could wait six months. I said I was not waiting. I did ended have a malignant tumor and if I had waited I probably would not be alive today. For a Dr to say you can wait six months is outrageous. I took action and I am alive because of it I also take iodine which has eliminated my fiber cystic condition. Cancer is an insidious disease. I am careful not to eat food with more than four ingredients. If I can’t pronounce it it is not going in my body. Dr. B you give a lot of very valuable information and I thank you for that. Soy was given to the monks in Tibet thousand of years to stop their sexual desires. Be careful ladies Keep your man away from soy if you want him to continue his sex interest. AND Cali’s and Viagra do not work. Dr B maybe you should say something about this growing problem. Thanks
Dear Dr. Brownstein, thank you a lot for your answers!!
I just wondering if I can be excepted as your patient?
I know you are very busy and if it impossible may be you will be kind to advise what doctor in US or Canada (I am from Canada) is Iodine-knowledgeable doctor? Maybe someone to whom you work with?
My life with one adrenal gland is different now and would be great to have strong guindance from Doctor like you! I believe in my total restoration as God promised me!
I would like to say THANK YOU to Dr. Brownstein!!!. At first time I was listening his interview with Ty Bollinger at “The Truth About Cance”where I found info about Iodine deficiency. After success surgery, because of cancerous tumor on left adrenal gland, I was asking myself why these cysts still at my breast, ovaries?!! why I have multi fibroid on my uterus?!!!
I am a Holistic Health Coach and I eat healthy home made organic meal, avoid caffeine but after last MRI, doctor found tiny cysts on my liver also?
I was asking several doctors and they were telling me, that they don’t know the cause of cysts, maybe this is because I am at menopause? Why not every pre-menopause woman has cysts?- I was asking myself?
Dr. Brownstein interview opened my eyes and I run to my family doctor to ask him for 24 Hours Urine Analyse for Iodine. I was very excited about discover the cause of all my problems, but he told me that he doesn’t know anything about Iodine and how to check result. Thank you Lord, he gave me at least paper for lab
.
I was asking God to help me and He led me to manual in the bottle from Iodine supplements, where I found how many tablets of Iodoral I need to take before test.
After several days I got result- only 48% was excreted. I was taking 1/2 tab (1/2 of 12,5 mg) per day 3 month.
Recently I did a new test and result was- 58% excreted! I began to take 2 tab. of Iodoral daily.
I don’t know is this dose enough? and how long I need take an Iodoral before next Iodine-loading test?
THANK YOU, 🙂
I bought Dr. Brownstein books (Salt, Iodine, Natural Hormones, Thyroid and Vit B-12) . Thank you for everything!!!
Lubov,
I have my patients take a repeat test about six months after starting iodine.
DrB
Is there any danger from non ionizing radiation, such as cell phones, laptops, WiFi,, high definition TV, fluorescent lights? I don’t put my phone against my ear, but is it bad to have it in front of your face when using it? I hear mixed messages about this, and i dont know what the truth is. If it is bad, I don’t see how you can avoid it unless you want to live in the 1800s or earlier.
But isn’t thermography just as unproven as mammography? And doesn’t it end up leading to a lot of mammograms to check on positive findings? How do we know that if thermography were ever subjected to a proper clinical trial it would lead to more benefit than harm? I like that it does not use ionizing radiation but wonder how many women it still hurts for each one it helps. Could be a lot I think, since screening healthy populations is basically looking for a needle in a haystack. And so much harm always ends up being done to large numbers of healthy people in the quest to help a few.
Last Sept, I had my eighth mammogram. I got an alarmist call two days later from my dr. saying they wanted me to come in for more imaging–thought they saw some calcification. I was in a complete panic! I found out I have dense breast tissue and that it is much harder to detect masses via mammos. I opted not to go back to my GYN and the awful massive, mammogram place. I read everything I could (including Dr. B’s books on Thyroid, Iodine, Salt) and by March 2015 I had my first thermogram after making significant changes to my diet (cutting out sugar; desiccated thyroid supplement; juicing; no gluten, etc.) The Thermogram (done by Dr. Mercola’s former thermograph) showed I was at some risk as I have fibrocystic breast tissue (I’ve known this for years). I did the Iodine loading test and I was low in Iodine. I bought iodine and started taking. My dr. was against it as he thought it would put me in a hyperthyroid state. I did the necessary supplements on the iodine protocol (magnesium, selenium, Vit B etc). Three months later I went back to have another thermogram and all evidence of the fibrocystic tissue was gone! Even my thermographer who really isn’t supposed to discuss was gob smacked that my breast were completely clear in a mere 3 months of taking Iodine! I found a new functional medicine dr. (Internist) after a year-long search and she believes in Iodine, so I no longer need to go rogue w. my medical treatment. I’m not longer going to drs. who don’t accept my medical beliefs and don’t view me as a partner in my health. As Susanne Somers states; “you are contractor of your health; providers are the subcontractors”.
Hi Dr. Brownstein, I am in the “high risk”category because my mother died of Breast Cancer. I recently had my mammogram done by a 3-D imaging machine. Your thoughts?
I thought it was interesting when I told my “mainstream” M.D. that I wasn’t going to get a mammogram that she said, (With her eyes lit up) something like “yeah, I know I don’t like having them done either”. I don’t know what she was thinking, but she didn’t make me feel like I should have it done. I was about 50 yrs old at the time. I had just had a full thyroid panel done that showed my T-3 smack dab in the middle of the normal range, but the TSH was 63, and I had high anti-bodies. My physical examination showed perfect reflexes (the doctor was in shock!), and no pain or swelling in thyroid, liver, or other glands or organs related to thyroid health. She even told me my heart sounded great. The only reason the thyroid panel was ordered was because I had been on thyroid meds for 25 years and had gone off of them a few years prior with doing nutritional therapies instead.
Well done Dr Brownstein, for getting message out there. Iodine necessity, no underwires-there are bras equally supportive. Dr Mike godfrey New Zealand has written excellent ref book on thermography.Having purged 2cm mole on perameter of boob, 2 with inflammation lines to old diathermy and mastitis locations….I’ll never have another mammography or ultrasound. A Swedish study of huge numbers advocated mammography more detrimental than saving.Be conscious of the root canal link to breast health…Ive had abcesses from 1 of Please every 3 days-bras or braless users, massage the perameter of boobs to stimulate lymph.Good health.mine, done by a doctor of dentistry.
Dr. B,
I take one synthroid 50 mcg pill a day. Would taking iodine benefit, or would it throw things out of whack? Thank you for the blog and your books (I have 3 of them).
Thanks,
RB
I recently told my doctor- no more mammograms-OMG! he lite into me, luckily I’m a retired RN so I stood my ground. I am very worried that I will soon be surrounded by hordes of sick and our socialized health care will
Run the economy in the ground trying to fix these ignorant people! Good article , thanks!
Besides the false hormones, I wonder. About underwires in bras in light of the electro/magnet soup we are exposed to 24 hours a day. Also the ‘lift and separate’ effect needs a tight bra, so perhaps those lymphs in the axillas don’t get the flush they need. Personally I use a bra as little as possible – a loose sports bra – like underarmor. I am a ‘C’ cup so I do feel a bit exposed at times. I mean guys don’t wear jock cups all day- right? Or do they?
Dr. B, Seventeen years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer. The first thing I did was buy books on the subject. I read everything I could get my hands on. I found a great chiropractor, Dr. Wayne Hogan. He found my food allergies. He also introduced me to iodine. I feel so much better for taking it. Soy is a very big problem due to its contribution to estrogen. Now I pose this question/Why is our food supply so full of soy? I
Betty,
The answer is easy: It is the cheapest crop to grow.
DrB
I decided about 6 years ago to stop having mammograms as well as most dental xrays.
My gynecologist was not very happy with me.
My breasts were fibrocystic for decades with iodine never mentioned.
The fact there are halogens in our lives causing iodine to not be absorbed seems to be ignored across the board.
What are your thoughts about thermomgraphy? Thermal imaging??
Shelby,
Thermography does not use ionizing radiation. Therefore, that would be a safer screening test. But we still need to search for the underlying cause of why so many women and men are being diagnosed with breast cancer.
DrB
Thank you for this article! What a terrible thing that a screening test is increasing cancer rates! That’s just one more thing standard medicine is failing at!
Like encouraging the complete avoidance of sun contributing to vitamin d deficiency and the host of diseases caused by that (like type 1 diabetes in kids, etc.). Recommending such minuscule amounts of iodine and the increase of disease from that. Such little salt contributing to bromide toxicity. Recommending the avoidance of preformed vitamin a and the increase in eye disorders/ needing glasses. That garbage study showing supplements to be a waste of money because a multivitamin didn’t cure cancer…
Sad really.
Thank you for what you do.
Do you recommend thermograms?
Was in with my doc today and I informed him, no more mammograms for me. I did a thermography test instead and he was livid. Do you have any thoughts on thermography? I know it too is not perfect.
Karen,
I routinely send my patients for thermography.
DrB