RESPECTFUL INSOLENCE

"A statement of fact cannot be insolent." The miscellaneous ramblings of a surgeon/scientist on medicine, quackery, science, and pseudoscience (and anything else that interests him).

Cancer Medicine Surgery

Mammography from the patient’s standpoint

Post author By Orac
Post date July 30, 2008
13 Comments on Mammography from the patient’s standpoint

I’ve been a bit remiss in my duty toward a fellow ScienceBlogger.

No doubt a few were wondering (or maybe not), why I, as the resident breast cancer expert here, didn’t point out that my fellow ScienceBlogger Janet live-blogged her very first screening mammogram last week. Truth be told, I had meant to mention it a day or two after she first posted it, but it plumb slipped my mind. Maybe it’s early stage Alzheimer’s disease. Whatever the case, I had meant to use her post to point out that, as a breast cancer surgeon, I sometimes forget just how annoying and cumbersome getting a mammogram can be. However, it’s important, especially after age 50, to undergo yearly mammography. It’s also important between ages 40-50, but the evidence for routine screening mammography saving lives in that age range is not as strong.

Actually, though, it was her followup post, in which she discussed the pros and cons of screening mammography based on the patient instructions given to her, that held the most interest for me. Note to self: It may be time to do another post about this subject again soon, using Janet’s posts as a jumping off point. And, no, I’m not going to threaten to live blog a colonoscopy, as PZ did. I still have a few years before I hit 50, anyway.

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By Orac

Orac is the nom de blog of a humble surgeon/scientist who has an ego just big enough to delude himself that someone, somewhere might actually give a rodent's posterior about his copious verbal meanderings, but just barely small enough to admit to himself that few probably will. That surgeon is otherwise known as David Gorski.

That this particular surgeon has chosen his nom de blog based on a rather cranky and arrogant computer shaped like a clear box of blinking lights that he originally encountered when he became a fan of a 35 year old British SF television show whose special effects were renowned for their BBC/Doctor Who-style low budget look, but whose stories nonetheless resulted in some of the best, most innovative science fiction ever televised, should tell you nearly all that you need to know about Orac. (That, and the length of the preceding sentence.)

DISCLAIMER:: The various written meanderings here are the opinions of Orac and Orac alone, written on his own time. They should never be construed as representing the opinions of any other person or entity, especially Orac's cancer center, department of surgery, medical school, or university. Also note that Orac is nonpartisan; he is more than willing to criticize the statements of anyone, regardless of of political leanings, if that anyone advocates pseudoscience or quackery. Finally, medical commentary is not to be construed in any way as medical advice.

To contact Orac: [email protected]

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