Thermography: An Alternative Way To Detect Breast Cancer

By Susan Gregoire MN, ARNP

According to the National Institutes of Health, one woman in eight, will be a victim of breast cancer in her lifetime. We know that our environment, with chemicals and pesticides and hormone-laden meat, are all contributors to this. But also, mammography using ionizing radiation is problematic. We are faced with the dilemma of how best to detect early breast cancer and do it as safely as possible without increasing our patients risk in the process.

No doubt you have heard of MRIs and mammograms for detecting breast cancer, but let us introduce you to thermography which gives women individualized breast cancer risk assessment and provides the earliest breast cancer detection available.

In fact, breast thermography has the ability to warn women up to 10 years in advance—before any other procedure—that a cancer may be forming, thus allowing for prompt and timely measures to prevent it from occurring.

We know that breast cancer survival depends upon its earliest possible detection. Research has shown that if breast cancer is discovered in its earliest stages, the cure rates are excellent.

Who is at greatest risk for breast cancer?

Your chances of getting breast cancer increase if you have a family history of the diseas e , although 75 percent of women who get breast cancer have no such history.

Excess estrogen is the greatest single risk factor for breast cancer.

Thermography can warn women if they have excess estrogen within their breasts and the risk factors can be decreased with proper diet and lifestyle change.

What is Thermography?

Thermography is;

•  Non invasive
•  No radiation
•  Painless
•  No contact with the body
•  F.D.A approved

This quick and easy test starts with your medical history being taken before you partially disrobe for the scanning to be performed. You do not have any contact with the equipment and your first 15-minute session provides the baseline of your ‘thermal signature'. A subsequent session assures that the patterns remain unchanged.

Thermography detects the subtle physiologic changes that accompany breast pathology, whether it is cancer, fibrocystic disease, an infection or a vascular disease. We can then plan accordingly and lay out a careful program to further diagnose and/or monitor you during and after treatment.

All of your thermograms (breast images) are kept on record so any changes can be detected during your routine annual studies.

When should women be screened?

All women should be screened starting at age 20. Approximately one third of all breast cancers occur in women under the age of 45.

Thermography provides a detection device that can give a warning signal far in advance of invasive tumor growth. Mammography, MRI , CT , ultrasound, and PET scans are only helpful once the tumor is actually there. But by then it may be too late. Earl y , low-cost, non-invasive screening is the most important thing a woman can do with regard to her breast health. Thermography is the best method to do this.

Thermography is available at Lifeworks Wellness Center For more information call 727-466-6789 or visit http://www.LifeWorksWellnessCenter.com

Susan Gregoire, MN, ARNP, has practiced 39 years in women's health. S killed in conventional and complementary medicin e , she runs the Well Woman Care at LifeWorks and works with Maria Beluccio RN, AP a certified thermographer, who ensures that each woman is treated with a thorough personalized exam in an atmosphere of privacy and respect.

“ I had breast cancer 5 years ago and had a partial mastectomy, followed by chemotherapy. Afterwards, my doctor said I should have regular mammograms to detect if the cancer had returned but I didn't want to repeatedly expose my body to that kind of radiation. Then a friend told me about Thermography and its early detection claims. If my cells show that my cancer might return I would rather try to prevent it with diet and nutrition than another round of chemo. I now have my annual thermograms at LifeWorks Wellness Center - it's just like having your photo taken and there is no contact with the equipment. Most importantly, it gives me much greater peace of mind knowing that any changes in my breasts will show up ahead of time, rather than when it may be too late .” CP