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It is not possible to avoid exposure to carcinogens. Your only hope is that your exposure remains low, and that your detox and immune function is efficient. But, that's the catch 22: they only can work efficiently if all other vital functions do, from digestion to elimination...

If we are sure of something, it is that we are not sure whether mammographic screening of healthy women produces significant benefit, or not. And what we are becoming nearly certain of, is that the risk of harm is significant. Decade and a half after Wright and Mueller did their analysis, we still pretty much arrive at their conclusion, which is that

the case for overall benefit from mammography screening
is fragile, at best.

It boils down to mammography nearly guaranteeing breast cancer detection before it advances to stage 4, and making it very unlikely that it won't be detected before it advances to stage 3.

In other words, in the final outcome - mortality rate from breast cancer - the positive of mammographic screening

seems to be largely offset by its negatives.

The notion that public screening has to produce significant benefit inevitably led to its negatives being downplayed and neglected. The need for "something" that will help, coupled with the seeming undisputable benefit of public screening, was instrumental in it becoming a "success story". The benefit was expected, reinforced and supported by all those actively participating in some way in creating this conjecture: researchers, public officials, mammography medicine (radiology, related testing and procedures), mammography industry and women themselves, selectively embracing perceived safety of an early detection.

Now, as this view of mammography, under closer scrutiny of the research and the actual data, begins to crumble, we are gradually moving toward one that is more balanced. It is nearly certain that, for decades,

the benefits of public mammography screening were overrated, and its negatives downplayed and neglected.

We'll probably keep hearing, for some time, from the official and pro-screening medical circles, that the life-saving benefits of mammography outweigh the risks by a wide margin. But the evidence is turning against such picture.

The most recent development - and that is a good news - is the growing consensus that women haven't been properly informed about the risks and benefits of mammography screening as a breast cancer detection tool. Nor have they been properly informed of their alternatives.

There is no informed consent, without the patient knowing the good, the bad, and the alternatives. In short, the new tendency is that women recommended precautionary mammographic screenings need to know the whole story.

The first part of it, the good and the bad, are covered in the mammography pages. The alternatives to mammography as a precautionary measure are considered in the next, and last section, focused on minimizing the risk from getting breast cancer.