Jeff, I asked a version of this elsewhere but only received one comment. As you are on staff, I assume you know the answers better than regular list members.
I know that Dr. McD is generally against mammograms, but that he advises surgical removal of cancerous tumors with clear margins. If a doctor feels a lump in the breast, what does Dr. McD advise one does next? Would a mammogram then be the way to diagnose the problem? Or does he advise some other diagnostic tool? Or does he advise that one do nothing if one is older?
Somewhere he talked about not pursuing breast cancer treatment when one is older. (I am 66.) And I remember that he advised his own father not to pursue treatment for prostate cancer.
My thinking is why subject myself to a scary diagnosis and get a bunch of eager doctors on my back if I don't plan to pursue treatment if I have early cancer?
I had a clear mammogram about five years ago, so I understand that if I have anything now, it will be quite small, and will take many years for me to actually become ill.
I searched the website pretty well, but I am still not clear on his general advice in a case like this. I hope to be able to figure out how I want to apply his general advice to myself.
I'm not asking for personal medical advice, I just want to understand what he has already said.
Thanks for any answers you can offer.
Deborah
