For the ladies...

[fuzzis]

Every month on the 27th, I send a reminder to do a breast self exam (BSE) to the women in my life. I also post a reminder on the other message board communities of which I am a member. There are better and worse times during the month to do your BSE, but the important thing is to get familar with what your breasts feel like so you can determine any changes.

If you've never done a BSE, you see a demonstration at the following site:

http://www.komen.org/bse

Please consider taking a moment to do a BSE.

fuzzis

[543LISTguy]

and if you need any help...

[fuzzis]

This lad checked out okay. Thaks matey

Good to know that your ta-tas are in fine shape, Hawk. I have, in the past, been accused of forgetting the boys (in more ways than one) so I thank you for reminding me. For the boys in the crowd, there's also this check (http://tcrc.acor.org/tcexam.html) you should be doing on a monthly basis.

fuzzis

[RoethlisbergerRocks]

and if you need any help...

LOL!!!!! :rollonflo

[Conveyor Belt]

Wasn't there a study about rates of cancer in self-examiners vs. non-sef-examiners that showed the self-exam really does nothing? I want to think it was a few years back. I think it's great if it makes you feel more aware about yourself and your gender, but is it really effective? I gotta find that study...

[Conveyor Belt]

Flying in the face of vigorous promotion by gynecologists and other healthcare providers over the past three decades, the new research, conducted by the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care, found fair evidence of no benefit (and) good evidence of harm from teaching breast self-examination to women 40 to 69 years of age.

The authors recommended that, for this age group, routine teaching of breast self-examination should no longer be a part of general health examinations.

The researchers reviewed studies concerning the effectiveness of breast self-examination in reducing death rates from breast cancer. Focusing on well-controlled trials primarily from Russia and China those who performed regular breast self-examination did not appear to die from breast cancer any less frequently than those who did no self-exam.

The researchers also found evidence of harm, because women aged 40 69 years who performed regular self-exams were seen more often by doctors for benign breast problems and had significantly higher rates of biopsy (surgical sampling of breast tissue for microscopic examination) than women in the same age group who did no self-exam.

Breast biopsy, although considered a minor medical procedure, causes permanent scarring and may cause significant breast deformity and emotional distress.

[fuzzis]

Wasn't there a study about rates of cancer in self-examiners vs. non-sef-examiners that showed the self-exam really does nothing? I want to think it was a few years back. I think it's great if it makes you feel more aware about yourself and your gender, but is it really effective? I gotta find that study...

The American Cancer Society and the Komen Foundatioin both recommend BSEs as part of a 3-step appraoch to breast health (http://www.komen.org/intradoc-cgi/idc_cgi_isapi.dll?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&ssDocName=s_004182). Those updated recommendations came out *after* the publication of the Canadian Task Force (CTF) study. There are also methodological concerns with the CTF study. 25% of all breast cancers are discovered by physical exam (they do not show up on mammograms).

fuzzis

[Tully Mars]

I certainly can't claim to know much about this particular subject but I am not sure that we should be taking too much advice coming out of the Canadian health care system considering the sorry state of affairs with their system of socialized health care.

[fuzzis]

I certainly can't claim to know much about this particular subject but I am not sure that we should be taking too much advice coming out of the Canadian health care system considering the sorry state of affairs with their system of socialized health care.

Actually, Tully, the CFT administered the study, using women primarily in China. Part of the limitations of the study include that none of the women had a personal history of breast cancer, not all had physical exams before, few had access to physical exams done by professionals during, and there was no mention of acces to other diagnostic tools (mammogram, ultrasound, etc) during the study.

The Komen foundation and the ACS has always recommended BSE in conjunction with other techniques, and this study only focuses on the BSE.

fuzzis

[Conveyor Belt]

I'm not trying to be petty; call it a mistrust of all things potentially monetary: Is there data plotting the rise/fall of fatal breast cancer over the past 30 years? Are more or less people dying from this each year?
If trending downward, is it a result of early detection or better treatment methods?

There's a lot of media about Breast Cancer Awareness, and virtually nothing about prostate or testicular cancer. The only one advocating testicular self exam was Tom Greene, and who, honestly, takes him seriously?

[wilebill]

The only one advocating testicular self exam was Tom Greene, and who, honestly, takes him seriously?
What about Lance Armstrong, wasn't he advocating that at one time?

[Conveyor Belt]

I guess, but see how I didn't remember? Not an effective campaign. I know that Livestrong is about fighting cancer, but is not type-specific. It's about the fight and the survivor, which is great.

We should be looking at cancer like we used to look at communism. It's the scourge of our bodies. Eradicate it from the face of the Earth.

[fuzzis]

I'm not trying to be petty; call it a mistrust of all things potentially monetary: Is there data plotting the rise/fall of fatal breast cancer over the past 30 years? Are more or less people dying from this each year?
If trending downward, is it a result of early detection or better treatment methods?

There's a lot of media about Breast Cancer Awareness, and virtually nothing about prostate or testicular cancer. The only one advocating testicular self exam was Tom Greene, and who, honestly, takes him seriously?

From what I've been able to ascertain, while there's been quite a bit of success in the 5 year surival rate of younger women, the mortality rate for the last 20 years has remained fairly constant due to a higher incident among older women. Most breast cancer is detected among older women (50+) Skin cancer is the only cancer more common in women than breast cancer, although heart disease is the number one killer of women. After lung cancer, it is the second most fatal cancer in women.

Testicular cancer, despite high profile cases such as Lance Armstrong and tom Greene, accounts for a very small percentage of cancers in men (I want to say the percentage is something like 1-2%). Prostate cancer is a much more analogous disease, when talking about incidences, although prostate cancer affects about half as many men on a yearly basis as breast cancer does women. Additionally, prostate cancer mortality rates are, and have been, falling

fuzzis

[IGID]

I took the test last night by proxy. She said I was fine. yeah :smt038

[fuzzis]

The package check test? Dang fuzzis, guys have been performing that test on themselves several times per day since they were born. Baseball players do it on TV.

:smt043

Hmmmmm...I thought that the incessant checking was more to make sure it was still there, rather than the more thorough testicular cancer check. The next time you get caught, though, you've got an excuse. :smt102

fuzzis

[Conveyor Belt]

I will refrain from comment.

[Jessica]

Every month on the 27th, I send a reminder to do a breast self exam (BSE) to the women in my life. I also post a reminder on the other message board communities of which I am a member. There are better and worse times during the month to do your BSE, but the important thing is to get familar with what your breasts feel like so you can determine any changes.

fuzzis

Fuzzis, thank you for posting this, as it is very important for women to do. Personally, I check mine every month... well, my honey bunny does it for me. He has become very familiar with my breasts and how they should feel. Thanks again for reminding all of the women about this! :smt038

[MSQueen]

As a result of the above, more and more Americans are forced to treat themselves for ailments not requiring immediate surgery. Thanks to the Internet and a little common sense, we are better able to diagnose and treat ourselves. Yes, this can be a tad risky for those who don't do enough research but so is going to busy doctors who no longer bother to use a tounge depressor, stethoscope, octhalmascope, or blood pressure cuff anymore, but rather they listen to your 5 minute discription of symtoms and write a script for a cure-all antibiotic that works for everything except viral infections. On the other hand, if I can convince the ER folk's that I'm an illegal guest worker, I can get my triple bypass for free or at least make you pay for it with tax revenues.

The cost Americans are forced to pay for patent medicines is sinfully corrupt and one of the main reasons over half the population can't afford insurance. Would it surprize you to learn that the major insurance companies are also the major stockholders in the so-called American pharmacueitical companies? Here comes the Washington lobby money again, along with pharma-cartel bribes to the FDA. The American pharma-cartel acknowledges it spends 20 million per year on gifts to doctors. Who the hell knows what they spend on lobbying for over-priced drug market protection? It's reported that they have 14 lobbyist for every Senator in Washington. Even though the typical Canadian sold drug made by the same pharma company sells for 69% less in Canada than in the US, the CEO of Pfizer says they still make a profit on Canadian sales. The old party line about America having to foot the R&D cost is bunk. Most all the R&D on patent meds is done in Germany and Switzerland. The so called American companies are multinational fronts, cogs in a bigger machine.

BONG!
Hawkeye, u hit it right on!!!!!!! it's too early in the morning 4 me to get started on this subject, but once i get the cobwebs cleared from my brain, i may have to tackle this one, too. (not enough coffee yet!):smt119:-D

[Conveyor Belt]

You know I hate pulling you to the front of the class for the above statement but at least you did qualify it.

The class might be interested in concrete examples. I'll play the devil and cite a few things wrong with the our health care system.

1. Cost ~ roughly, only 40% of Americans are currently able to afford health insurance, 75% of which work for the govt. Hospitals/MD's in America charge considerably more for a procedure to people without insurance than they can get away with for those with insurance. At least 20% more.
2. In American health system, money talks and the uninsured walk. Sort'a like our judicial system. If you have the money for the right lawyers, your verdict is 50% more likely to be favorable. If you're indigent, your dead. If not dead, you're bankrupted.
3. The exact same life saving medicine in the US is on average 69% more expensive than in Canada and roughly 75% higher than any other country in the world. Even taking advantage of everything in the new Medicade Drug Plan, the same meds from Canada are still 30% cheaper.

As a result of the above, more and more Americans are forced to treat themselves for ailments not requiring immediate surgery. Thanks to the Internet and a little common sense, we are better able to diagnose and treat ourselves. Yes, this can be a tad risky for those who don't do enough research but so is going to busy doctors who no longer bother to use a tounge depressor, stethoscope, octhalmascope, or blood pressure cuff anymore, but rather they listen to your 5 minute discription of symtoms and write a script for a cure-all antibiotic that works for everything except viral infections. On the other hand, if I can convince the ER folk's that I'm an illegal guest worker, I can get my triple bypass for free or at least make you pay for it with tax revenues.

The cost Americans are forced to pay for patent medicines is sinfully corrupt and one of the main reasons over half the population can't afford insurance. Would it surprize you to learn that the major insurance companies are also the major stockholders in the so-called American pharmacueitical companies? Here comes the Washington lobby money again, along with pharma-cartel bribes to the FDA. The American pharma-cartel acknowledges it spends 20 million per year on gifts to doctors. Who the hell knows what they spend on lobbying for over-priced drug market protection? It's reported that they have 14 lobbyist for every Senator in Washington. Even though the typical Canadian sold drug made by the same pharma company sells for 69% less in Canada than in the US, the CEO of Pfizer says they still make a profit on Canadian sales. The old party line about America having to foot the R&D cost is bunk. Most all the R&D on patent meds is done in Germany and Switzerland. The so called American companies are multinational fronts, cogs in a bigger machine.

BONG!

Is this an article, or did you put all of these socialist thoughts together? Anyone who thinks Canada has it together is crazy. It's that simple. Sure, it's all paid for, but it's not superior to our system.

Do we have problems? Sure. Will we ever see a cure for cancer? Probably not, because then people would be out of jobs. Call me kooky, but it's something I believe in. I don't have a problem with pharma-companies making profits. They are not a government entity, thank goodness. There's a reason we are living longer in the US. It's not a fluke. People always want to tear down large corporations, and maybe they need some overhaulment, but they are important to us.

I think a major part of the problem is the turning of a general practitioner into a drug pusher. Kickbacks and free samples level them to the rank of street pharmacist... "Gotta toothache? Try this... Gotta upset stomach once a month, try this daily med..." My doctor did it to me and it irritated me... "Try this anti-depressant since you feel down every so often."

The first thing we have to do is get lobby-ists out of the picture. That's happening some, but not to the extent it should. We do have the constitutional right to lobby the government, but I don't think the current system is what the Founding Fathers had in mind. I think they'd be appalled.

Punishing drug companies is not the answer. Without them we wouldn't have the meds we do. I hope you never need some of those meds that cost Millions to research, but are only needed by 1% of 1% of 1% of the population.

And thank goodness if I need some diagnostic tests, I don't have to wait on a waiting list for 6 months while obviously sick people get treated ahead of me. I may get the help I need when it's apparent that I'm dying, but I can get ahead of the disorder here in the US. Why do you think wealthy Canadians come to America for their medical needs? Wealthy Americans go to Canada for drugs.