The New York Times recently published an
article that is bringing focus to a taboo topic: women choosing mastectomies because of the fear of breast cancer. Is this treatment really helping to reduce the long-term prognosis, or are breasts being removed unnecessarily?
Why are Women Choosing Mastectomies?
In many cases, very early stages of breast cancer are detected and the medical treatment suggestion is to remove the breast. In some situations, the diagnosis is only a precursor to breast cancer and women are still choosing to have both breasts removed even if they are healthy.
Even though it is assumed that the preventive treatment of having a mastectomy or a double mastectomy is a good solution to prevent death from cancer, researchers are new suggesting different outcomes. In fact, it appears that this treatment makes no difference in the outcome! Even women who are choosing to have their breasts removed are still dying despite the treatment.
Scientific Data: Why the Breasts Shouldn’t Be Removed
This information is based on the conclusions that were made based on
data gathered from 100,000 women over a period of 20 years. The details are fueling the debate about whether women are undergoing unnecessary treatments and disfiguring their bodies for no reason. Many times, these disfiguring treatments are suggested for premalignant conditions, which were unlikely to turn into a life-threatening cancer.
In many situations, the diagnosis is made based on abnormal cells found within the breast milk ducts. Better technology is allowing doctors to find very small lesions, leading to higher numbers of pre-breast cancer diagnosis and an increase in surgical breast removal. Sometimes, women choose to have seemingly healthy breasts removed because of the fear of tiny lesions turning into cancer.
But, will these lesions actually lead to breast cancer, or are they simply another risk factor for some women? Since the data shows that a mastectomy treatment doesn’t actually make a difference for long-term outcome, should women be going through these disfiguring surgical treatments?
Lifestyle Factors Impact Your Risk of Cancer
Even though modern medicine assumes that surgical intervention is the best method to reduce the risk of cancer in the future, more people are turning to holistic treatments instead. Is it possible that breast cancer is actually related to dietary and lifestyle choices, which means that a mastectomy doesn’t remove the root cause of the disease?
Instead of rushing to the operating room, women need to consider their options and assess how their daily choices are impacting their risk of breast cancer. Removing the breasts without addressing the cause doesn’t do any good, and now this data is providing evidence to support a different approach to cancer treatment.
Are you interested in learning about the lifestyle factors that impact the risk of cancer? Check out
Unravel the Mystery, by Ann Malkmus, where you will find a complete guide about daily decisions that might be increasing your risk of cancer. Also, pick up a copy of
Unravel the Mystery Recipe Book so that you can learn to cook healthy meals and prevent the root cause of cancer through your dietary choices.
