I’ve just been screaming at the tv screen ! There was an article on the One Show about the debate over whether screening causes more harm than good. It was a good, well-balanced article but there was one woman on there saying that the invasive treatment she has had for DCIS (as a result of screening) was awful and she didn’t think fully blown breast cancer could be any worse than what she’s been through.Perhaps she might feel differently if she met some of us ! I was 43 when diagnosed and if I’d been screened the chances are my lump would have been found in time. As it was, it was the size of a ping pong ball and had spread to lymph nodes. Now it’s in my liver and I face the same future as all of us on the secondaries forum. Grrrrrr
Hi Jackie
Also screaming at screen - from a different angle - my 1st mammogram at 50 picked up DCIS, for which I am waiting for WLE next week. What would I rather do? - have it treated, or wait until I’m part of the 30-50% (I’ve heard it quoted at various levels)that goes on to be invasive?
I know everyone’s BC is different, but it all starts somewhere/somehow. I am more than grateful for the screening which has picked up something that I cannot feel. At what point WOULD I have found it, if it had become invasive?
LizzyM
Hi
I too was yelling at that woman. At what stage would she have picked it up herself if she wasn’t going for mammograms? I was 44 at Dx and only had mammo due to family history. As it was my bc didn’t show up on mammo only on the u/s I had cos the radiologist was extra cautious as I had cysts and dense tissue. The tumor was 3cm Grade 2 and even the cons had problems finding it without u/s. Maybe a dose of chemo or rads would help her believe she is better off not developing bc.
Nicky
I didn’t see the one show…but without routine screening, I would have gone on as if everything was ok. I didn’t have a lump, just a small mass, and that was only picked up on because of the screening. And although it was a small mass…it was still invasive. Something I would never have found myself!! In Fact screening is done where I live every 3yrs, I don’t know if that is everywhere else too, but I think that every year might be a good idea…
helen
I too was dx after a routine mammo.There was no palpable lump and my surgeon described it as 'subtle’when he examined me.Thank God for routine mammos.I think the reason for every 3 yrs instead of every yr is the amount of radiation.We have to be screened annually after dx because risk from recurrence is greater than from mammo radiation-but I may be wrong!
Thanks for the info Val…should have thought of that, but didn’t.
helenx
I was diagnosed with dcis last year after my first routine mammogram at the age of 51. The surgeon said it “may or may not” develop into cancer. I had a mastectomy and I was told that they had found a 10mm grade 2 tumour. Fortunately I didn’t need any more treatment, just hormone therapy. I am so grateful for the screening. I wasn’t very happy with the item on The One Show. If they hadn’t found a small tumour then I would have probably been sitting here thinking I did the wrong thing having the mastectomy because I might not have developed a tumour. There’s enough stress on us already without adding to our worries by this sort of article.
some people are just plain dumb, no other way to describe them.
reneexx
I, too, saw the One Show - and was trying to stop myself from smashing tellie!! Hmm, give me the case of “unnecessary” treatment and compliations/versus life saving treatment and complications and life sentence of living with life threatening disease… ooohh tough choice…Perhaps they would like to do article on person diagnosed with breast cancer and follow treatment ?? No, probably not, probably way too scary and graphic for public viewing - I rest my case…
Thanks for all your comments ladies. I’m glad it wasn’t just me being over-sensitive. I lost a dear friend to bc last night. I met her here on the forum a few years ago. Perhaps her husband and two young children might have something to say to Mrs Woman on the One Show.
Jackiexxx
Hi Jackie…So sorry for your loss…
helenxx