Category Archives: breast cancer

DCIS: Overdiagnosis for Some,
But Breast Cancer Death Rates in Young and Black Women Troubling

Ductal carcinoma in situ – known more by its abbreviation DCIS – has been a term mired in controversy for decades. Over the years, it’s been termed “stage 0” breast cancer, “precancer”, and skeptics have gone so far as to … Continue reading

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But Breast Cancer Death Rates in Young and Black Women Troubling

In Stunning Reversal, Unnecessary “Preventive” Mastectomies Are Surging in Young White Women with Insurance

I remember the first time that I heard about an unexpected rise in unnecessary mastectomies in young white women, who were privately insured. About five years ago, I was at the largest cancer meeting of the year, the annual meeting … Continue reading

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Are Dense-Breast, Right-to-Know Laws Helpful?

In a victory for the dense-breast patient movement, Governor Jerry Brown (D-CA) signed legislation last week requiring that doctors who discover that women have dense breasts on mammography must inform women that: dense breasts are a risk factor for breast … Continue reading

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Is the Bar High Enough for Screening
Breast Ultrasounds for Dense Breasts?

In a unanimous decision yesterday, FDA approved the first breast ultrasound imaging system for dense breast tissue “for use in combination with a standard mammography in women with dense breast tissue who have a negative mammogram and no symptoms of … Continue reading

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With Breast Cancer Awareness Overexposed, Hard to See Many Patients Want Science, Not Pink

Nothing has me making a beeline for the exit more  than disease awareness events– and when it comes to Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the sheer overexposure of the disease makes me yearn to cover anything but it. I know I … Continue reading

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