Toni's thoughts...

1 in 5 women miss breast cancer tests.

For some reason when I personally read the news report on the ABC with the headline that One in 5 women miss breast cancer tests, I really wasn’t all that surprise.  Research has been carried out which shows that a significant number of women who are at high risk of breast cancer fail to screen themselves as often as recommended.

In this report the spokeswoman for the Breast Cancer Network acknowledged that not only are some tests hard to access but also the cost involved can be a problem.  The amount of testing a woman has to endure every 6 month to a year can also be a factor.  The link to the transcript can be found on the ABC.

For women who cannot afford the costs of these tests, possibly may decide that feeding their family is more important than their health. The small amount of return from Medicare if the tests can be claimed can also be a factor, especially if you are not in the age group that allows you free testing. 

Researcher Kelly Phillips says that she found 20 percent of women failed to have six-monthly checks.

This transcript focuses on Australian women not opting for preventive surgery for breast cancer.

After speaking to a few friends I discovered that some women are uncomfortable about going back for their 6 month screening. One lady mentioned that she was already upset enough having found a lump but after meeting with the girl who had to screen her, she was put off going back. The mammogram was done with a little compassion. But when she had to undergo an ultra sound, being told she just had lumps because she was a large lady turned her off completely.

The fact was, there was a lump. After the girl got frustrated having to ‘sift through the lumps of fatty tissue’ she wasn’t sure what she had found and she really was going to send the lady away. But thought she should check first. The specialist who was on duty for the day came in and checked also. He was a little more compassionate and suggested what was being seen was in fact a cyst.

By the time the results were sent to this lady’s GP… the damage had already been done. The cyst needed to be checked again in 6 months and that lady has never been back. My guess is some girls who take on a role of having to give an ultra sound to someone concerned about finding a lump in her breast have no compassion.. but maybe it might be different if they were in the same situation.

There was no need for her to carry on about her fatty tissues and carrying on because she decided that was all she could find and then mentioning that if she was a smaller lady it would be easier to detect.

Most large ladies know that that is possibly the case, but putting one down because of it, may end up in disaster for the lady who has a lump in her breast. Perhaps more research into why some women refuse to go back to have a screening would help.

Perhaps the services that provide radiology should look into training the girls who provide these services. Knowing when to keep quiet in regards to personal issues may also help. Focus on finding a lump instead of putting someone down when that person is already concerned about whether she has breast cancer or not.

Toni