Letters: Mammograms, yes or no?
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Re “More doubt cast on breast X-rays,” Feb. 12
There is more reason for early detection of breast cancer than simply decreasing mortality. There is a very important quality-of-life issue.
Early detection often decreases the need for a physically disfiguring and emotionally scarring mastectomy and the need for additional reconstructive surgeries.
As a registered nurse and breast cancer survivor, I strongly believe that we should maintain the option of yearly mammograms for early detection.
Barbara Piecka
Studio City
A similar study regarding PSA tests to detect prostate cancer in men resulted in the test being dropped by my healthcare provider. The study concluded that older men were more likely to die from other causes, especially with the slower-growing forms of prostate cancer.
This, even though prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of death in older men.
I hope healthcare providers don’t respond similarly to a study questioning the effectiveness of yearly mammograms.
John C. McKinney
Cerritos
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