Breast Cancer - Before There Is A Lump

By Alexander Mostovoy, H.D., D.H.M.S., B.C.C.T.

Today's statistics are alarming: one in nine New Zealand women will develop breast cancer. Each of these women will face the options of lumpectomy, mastectomy, radiation and chemotherapy in choosing how best to respond to her situation. With no cure for breast cancer in sight, everyone agrees that early detection is crucial for a better outcome.

Lumps and other breast abnormalities generally don't appear overnight. Long before they are discovered by film or fingers their cellular contributors are hard at work. Cancer cells send out a chemical message to the surrounding area and require a supply of blood to flourish and survive. Being aggressive, they create their own pathways to obtain this nourishment. Neither self-examinations nor mammograms can detect this invisible early cellular process, which usually occurs in the breast from five to even ten years before a lump grows large enough to become visible or palpable.

The science of breast thermography is opening the door to the earliest screening for abnormalities in breast tissue that Western medicine has ever known. While the FDA approved breast thermography in 1982, the greatest developments in this field have emerged in the last few years with the advent of highly sophisticated cameras and high-speed digital imaging. What is extraordinary about these images is that they display patterns of heat and vascularity in the tissue. These patterns can reveal the earliest indications of disease while still in their formative stages. Thermography can detect the presence of heat from the initial development of abnormal cells, or from an already existing anatomical abnormality (i.e. a lump) in the breast.

Thermography is also perfect for younger woman who are health conscious and want to be proactive about monitoring their breast health. This is particularly relevant for younger woman who have a family history of breast cancer. It is also suitable for woman with breast implants.

Thermography is safe, non-invasive, non-contact, radiation free and painless. Breast thermography is used extensively overseas and is fast gaining popularity in New Zealand, where an increasing number of women are choosing to understand more about their breast cancer risk and the steps they can take towards improving their breast health.

This article is provided as an information paper from Dr Alexander Mostovoy. It is not a recommendation from Clinical Thermography Limited and any advice for treatment should be discussed with your preferred health professional.

Click here to contact us now