If you’ve arrived on this page thinking something dirty — you can leave now.
If you want to educate yourself on something that could save your life, or your mother’s life or your wife, or sister’s, daughter’s, niece’s, friend’s, cousin’s life… heck, anyone with breasts, then stick around and let’s talk.
YES! Let’s talk about breasts!
I figure if Solomon could write about bosoms as much as he did in the Bible – then this Pastor’s Wife could surely do the same!
The following are Canadian Cancer statistics from 2011:
Breast cancer continues to be the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women, with over 23,400 new cases expected. In 2011, four cancers (breast, lung, colorectal and prostate) will account for 54% of all cancers diagnosed in Canada.
Breast cancer, which represents 28% of cancer cases in women, ranks second in mortality at 14%.
Breast cancer occurs primarily in females 50–69 years of age. Twenty-eight percent of breast cancer cases will be diagnosed among women over the age of 69, while 19% will occur in those under age 50.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in females over the age of 20. Deaths from breast cancer are more frequent than other common cancers only in women 30–39 years of age.
Now that I have your attention…
Did you know that there are different kinds of breast tissue types?
I didn’t. Not until my friend Dee did something extremely brave when she invited the world to join her in very private moment {watch the video below}. She opened my eyes to a whole new world as I have spent the last few weeks scouring the internet for more information. I don’t think I’ve given myself more self-examinations in my life as I have done in the past month!
I also found out that younger women and some into their 40’s are more apt to have dense breasts, it’s what gives them their “perky” look. As we age, our breasts tend to… sag… which is when the dense tissue is replaced by fatty breast tissue.
Did you know that dense breast tissue is a significant risk factor for Breast Cancer?
I didn’t either until lately. Dense breasts have less fat and more glandular {connective / dense} tissue. This results in Mammogram images that are harder to read. Not good. Dense breasts are also 4 to 6 times more likely to develop cancer. Not good at all.
Far Left: Fatty Breast Tissue | Various Categories | Far Right: Extremely Dense
How do you find out if your breasts are dense and if you’re at risk for developing breast cancer?
Well… you can’t tell solely by a Mammogram, as results have proven, and definitely not only by self-examination!
One option that I now know about, because of Dee’s “exposure” of these issues with the tissues… is a VIP Breast Imaging® ultrasound. ABUS is new Automated Breast 3D Ultrasound technology. It’s safe {as safe as a pregnancy ultrasound}, radiation-free, non-invasive, and painless!
If you’re in Toronto you can go to:
525 University Ave, Toronto,
Ontario, M5G 2L3
Phone: 647-350-2229
or in Vancouver,
750 West Broadway Suite 1103, Vancouver,
British Columbia, V5Z 1J1
Phone: 604-708-8853
Using ABUS as an adjunct to mammogram, or as an early screening choice, can significantly improve the early detection rate especially for women with dense breasts. ~ VIP Breast Imaging
One more stat I’d like to share with you before you watch Dee’s video {and you should watch it, and without little ones around or teen-aged boys…}
The breast cancer mortality rate is the lowest it has been since 1950. Source: cancer.ca
I think that’s thanks to people like Dee who aren’t afraid to do more than just talk about things like this.
This procedure costs $300 in Ontario and is not covered under OHIP. Check with your private insurance carrier to see if they’ll cover you.
I'm so proud of Dee for sharing this and I'm so glad you are posting about it too Shannon. I wish there were more options around Canada though! I'm a little far from Toronto & Vancouver!!
I have been told I have dense breasts at my mammogram. I asked what that meant and she said that there is not a lot of fat. I said, "Well, as a small breasted woman, I could have told you that." We both laughed and nothing else was said. Now, I heard it means something else. Well I am actually having a Breast MRI this month. I will ask about it then. With 2 sisters that had breast cancer, I need to know all there is to know.
Thanks so much for sharing this, great post and so much fab information… Like I said, this is now part of my yearly routine… I want to keep my sillies for a while..
Thank you so much for posting this. Thanks to Dee for sharing her story as well. I'm far enough from Toronto, but may even consider the 6 hr drive for this. This is something I think about, since several friends have been diagnosed with breast cancer in the past two years.
this is a great idea…….however, I'm with the other commenters, it's too bad it's only available in that specific area as of right now.
Also, yes, it's only $300……..but that's money I don't have extra to do that with. PLUS, I'd have to lose money to take a day off work to travel the 4 hours each way as well….
I am wondering…………did Dee ever find out a concrete answer either way once she went back to the doctor for the second biopsy?
My birth mom was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer at 42. She died at before she was 50 when it returned in her liver. My sisters and I have learned that she was BRCA2 positive (carrying a gene mutation for breast cancer).
Here I am at 35, already having had a scare with a spontaneous breast bleed, and 2 biopsies already (both malignant). It's SCARY. I'm waiting results for my own gene tests to see if I have the gene or not.
I have very dense breasts (but honestly – this is very common in young women), and I have lumpy boobies too – which means I could easily have spots to biopsy on a regular basis! I am starting to not like MRI machines…. ha!
I'm curious what is the difference between this ultrasound and the "regular" kind?
Thanks for sharing this post! I will be passing it along!
Lisa Marie, I am sorry for the history of breast cancer with your birth mother.
I want to answer your questions about the difference between hand held ultrasounds and ABUS, the technology used in the video.
ABUS is specifically developed for whole breast imaging. Unlike hand-held ultrasounds which can only capture specific areas of the breast, ABUS captures the entire breast in 3 dimensions; providing a much more detailed scan. The standard quality of ABUS is exponentially better and as it does not rely on a person operating a probe. Lastly, unlike hand-held ultrasounds, ABUS scans can be duplicated; providing the patient with a detailed history of her breasts.
I'm so proud of Dee for sharing this and I'm so glad you are posting about it too Shannon. I wish there were more options around Canada though! I'm a little far from Toronto & Vancouver!!
I have been told I have dense breasts at my mammogram. I asked what that meant and she said that there is not a lot of fat. I said, "Well, as a small breasted woman, I could have told you that." We both laughed and nothing else was said. Now, I heard it means something else. Well I am actually having a Breast MRI this month. I will ask about it then. With 2 sisters that had breast cancer, I need to know all there is to know.
Thanks so much for sharing this, great post and so much fab information…
Like I said, this is now part of my yearly routine…
I want to keep my sillies for a while..
Cheers
I think it's great that you are sharing this. I will hopefully be getting my first scan this fall.
Great share Shannon! I had no idea that having dense breasts increased your likelihood for cancer! Something to check into for sure.
Wow Thank you so much for sharing this.
I wish there were locations closer to me. This needs to be talked about MORE!
Thank you so much for posting this. Thanks to Dee for sharing her story as well. I'm far enough from Toronto, but may even consider the 6 hr drive for this. This is something I think about, since several friends have been diagnosed with breast cancer in the past two years.
Awesome, post Shannon and Dee. It was just the last push I needed to get my test set up. Thanks!
This was great. Thanks.
What a great post! Thank you so much for sharing. I'm bookmarking this so that I can forward it to a couple of friends, my mom and my sisters.
🙂 Love it Shannon!!! And so glad that Dee shared this with all of us. What a learning experience.
this is a great idea…….however, I'm with the other commenters, it's too bad it's only available in that specific area as of right now.
Also, yes, it's only $300……..but that's money I don't have extra to do that with. PLUS, I'd have to lose money to take a day off work to travel the 4 hours each way as well….
I am wondering…………did Dee ever find out a concrete answer either way once she went back to the doctor for the second biopsy?
and oh ya, thanks Dee for being so brave!
Thank you so much for sharing this post.
Cancer has impacted my family greatly. Let's face it, cancer sucks. It makes me happy to see people pushing information about all the forms of cancer.
I will be adding a screen to a part of my yearly physical routine. Better to be safe than sorry.
My birth mom was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer at 42. She died at before she was 50 when it returned in her liver. My sisters and I have learned that she was BRCA2 positive (carrying a gene mutation for breast cancer).
Here I am at 35, already having had a scare with a spontaneous breast bleed, and 2 biopsies already (both malignant). It's SCARY. I'm waiting results for my own gene tests to see if I have the gene or not.
I have very dense breasts (but honestly – this is very common in young women), and I have lumpy boobies too – which means I could easily have spots to biopsy on a regular basis! I am starting to not like MRI machines…. ha!
I'm curious what is the difference between this ultrasound and the "regular" kind?
Thanks for sharing this post! I will be passing it along!
Lisa Marie, I am sorry for the history of breast cancer with your birth mother.
I want to answer your questions about the difference between hand held ultrasounds and ABUS, the technology used in the video.
ABUS is specifically developed for whole breast imaging. Unlike hand-held ultrasounds which can only capture specific areas of the breast, ABUS captures the entire breast in 3 dimensions; providing a much more detailed scan. The standard quality of ABUS is exponentially better and as it does not rely on a person operating a probe. Lastly, unlike hand-held ultrasounds, ABUS scans can be duplicated; providing the patient with a detailed history of her breasts.
I hope this helps.