Breast Thermography How meditation can help combat

Page 8 September 29, 2022 Berthoud Weekly Surveyor

Breast Thermography

While a history of breast cancer in the immediate family doubles a woman’s risk of also developing breast cancer, most people are shocked to learn that 85% of women diagnosed have no family history of the disease. These instances occur from genetic mutations resulting from the aging process and lifestyle factors, rather than inherent mutations.

According to breastcancer.org: 28 ,8 0 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in 2022. oughly 44,000 women will die this year from breast cancer. Since 200 , breast cancer deaths have remained steady in women under 0 but decreased in older women attributed to screening, awareness and treatment.

It is also significant to note that onethird of all breast cancer in the U.S. occurs in women under 4 . Though nearly billion is invested annually in breast cancer research, the last data point above points to a need for even earlier intervention and more proactive strategies.

Enter: Breast Thermography

Thermography is a pain-free, no-contact, no-radiation technology that provides information on vascular and cellular activity in the breasts, based on temperature differences and thermovascular patterns. It measures infrared energy naturally emitted from the body. Approved by the FD in 1982 as an adjunctive technology, it is most often used as a risk assessment tool for breast health, although imaging can be performed on any body part.

Mammography vs Thermography

Mammograms use electromagnetic radiation to transmit an image onto film, looking for calcifications and densities deep within the breast tissue. Thermography uses an infrared camera to create a graphic map looking at changes in breast physiology. Because they are different technologies used for detecting different types of risk factors, they can each be important and are best used alongside one another.

Screening vs isk ssessment

Breast thermography is used as a risk assessment tool, rather than a stand-alone technology for screening. Screening implies that we are looking for a disease that already exists.

Thermography, on the other hand, combines health history and heat imaging to assess the level of risk that someone has of developing breast disease in the future. Studies suggest that women who have a high-risk thermogram are 22 times more likely to develop breast cancer, than women who have a lower-risk rating thermogram.

Thermography can detect irregular physiological patterns potentially related to a higher risk of breast disease. The formation of new blood vessels by cancer or pre-cancer (angiogenesis), is more intense in the early stages because more vascularity is required to nourish and sustain its growth (though other factors may impact the growth rate). This activity can be detected by a thermogram up to 8-10 years before a mass is detectable by other examination.

Performing follow-up thermograms can be done as often as needed without harmful side effects. This direct measure of the patient’s physiology — seeing how the breast tissue is changing or how it is responding to intervention makes it a breast-specific biomarker.

Protocol for high-risk thermography results

A holistic approach to a high-risk thermography report involves further examination: physical breast exam, blood labs, and lifestyle intervention. The priorities are: 1. Identify whether or not cancer is currently present in the body.

Take immediate, proactive measures to mitigate the risk for future development of breast disease. 3. educe inflammation in the body contributing to risk. 4. Improve immune response to support the ability to fight infections or cancer at the cellular level. 5. Balance the body’s ability to produce and properly metabolize hormones.

Who is Breast Thermography for? Ideally, thermography would be performed early in a woman’s life, to give a base from which to monitor. However, thermography can be performed at any age. Follow-up imaging is recommended every 1-2 years depending on other risk factors. Breast thermography is also especially helpful for women who have smaller breasts, implants, mastectomies, dense breast tissue, or are pregnant or lactating/breastfeeding. Current prevention strategies are limited without the ability to monitor breast tissue changes. Thermography has literature and case study support to validate its use as a breast-specific biomarker of risk and usefulness as a tool in monitoring breast health.

To find out if thermography is a good option for you, call Dawn at ateway atural Medicine and Diagnostic Center at 9 0- 32-2 .

This article was submitted by Gateway Natural Medicine and Diagnostic Center.