H. Gilbert Welch

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InternacionalSalud Pública

As part of breast cancer awareness month, a 40-year-old anchor had her first mammogram on morning television. And last week the anchor, Amy Robach, underwent a double mastectomy after announcing she had cancer, and saying -- in front of 5 million viewers -- that "having a mammogram saved my life".

And I feel the obligation to point out that other possibilities are more likely.

To understand why, you need to know how doctors now think about cancer: in terms of turtles, rabbits and birds. The goal is not to let any of the animals escape the barnyard pen to become deadly.…  Seguir leyendo »

ReflexionesSocial

I first saw the headline early Tuesday on Real Clear Politics, a political news site where I generally start my morning. It's not where I expect to see a story on breast cancer.

Then I checked my e-mail messages -- they all seemed to be about Angelina Jolie's op-ed. Students in my undergraduate class wanted to discuss it in our next session. Colleagues expressed concern and wondered what the right response was. People I don't even know sent e-mails.

One, from a research fellow at the International Agency for Research on Cancer, nicely summed up the general concern: "I fear that this disclosure will motivate other women to undergo preventive mastectomy, even though they do not need it".…  Seguir leyendo »