The panel maintains that the benefits of testing do not outweigh the “harms” and risks.

Recent research has shown that repeated exposure to mammograms may act as an independent risk factor for breast cancer. While many medical experts still recommend regular mammograms, which take an x-ray like photograph of the breast, to detect small tumors, opposition to the practice is growing. The task force also recommends against teaching breast self-exams for all women.

Cumulative doses of radiation, that is, the build-up of many doses of radiation over time may in fact be a cancer initiator. Common sense dictators that multiple exposures of radiation cannot be conducive to anything about good health. In fact it is harmful to the human body even in small doses.

A non-invasive and non-squishing method for detecting masses in the breast is available.

This method, called Thermography uses thermal imaging to detect “hot spots” in the breast. Thermo graphic detection of these spots is more reliable than mammography because the blood flow pattern changes long before the tumor is large enough to be detected by x-ray.

I fear medical practitioners will continue to subscribe to mammograms since they are easy to administer and generate a great deal of income via the insurance companies and Medicare payments.

I will also add my concerns about any government intervention in this case a government panel of ‘experts’ making some grand proclamation on our behalf for our well-being. There will be much opposition to this ’decry’ mainly from the medical professionals who continue to see mammogram testing as a good tool toward the end of early breast cancer detection.