Breast Thermography awareness

According to the National Cancer Institute, there were 192,370 new cases of breast cancer in females and 1,910 cases in males in 2009. That year, 40,170 women and 440 men died from breast cancer. The World Health Organization reports that breast cancer accounts for 16 percent of the cancer deaths of women globally.


Breast thermography is a state-of-the-art screening procedure that captures images of the breast to aid in the early detection of breast irregularities. According to the American Journal of Surgery, it “is a valuable adjunct to mammography and ultrasound, especially in women with dense breast parenchyma.”


It is based on the principle of temperature variation, the slight increase in heat that is almost always generated when chemical and blood vessel activity occurs in pre-cancerous tissue and the areas surrounding a developing breast cancer. Images are captured with ultra-sensitive infra-red cameras and analyzed with sophisticated computers that seek to detect the minute increases in surface temperature and vascular changes that may be occurring within the breast. It is comfortable and safe, using neither radiation nor compression.


Breast thermographic technology has been researched for over 30 years. It has, however, been gaining national prominence and more widespread use only recently, due to the publicity received by radiation-based screening technologies in the guidelines issued by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Federal Government. It should not, however, be considered an alternative to mammography. Rather, it should be regarded as an adjunct to mammography, and should be offered in every woman’s regular breast health regimen. Women of all ages should employ a combination of techniques, including breast self-examination, physical examinations of the breast by a physician, thermography, mammography, HALO breast pap and sometimes ultrasound or MRI examinations, where indicated. Studies have shown that the earliest detection generally occurs when several test techniques are used in combination. The inclusion of thermography can often point out the need for more intensive examination to make a complete diagnosis.


There are more than 800 peer-reviewed breast thermography studies, in which over 250,000 women participated. Many of these studies involved very large groups of patients (from 37,000 to over 100,000) and some have followed patients for as much as 12 years. Among other conclusions, these studies found that when thermography has been added to a woman’s regular breast health checkups, a 61% increased survival rate was realized, and when used as part of a multi-modal approach (clinical examination, mammography and thermography) 95% of early stage cancers will be detected. Since 23% of all breast cancers occur in women under the age of 49, regular breast health checkups should be undertaken by women of all ages, even those in their 20’s. It is well known that early detection is the best defense against breast cancer and that, if treated in the earliest stages, a 95% cure rate is achieved.


For optimal breast health, mammography alone may not be enough. There are additional tools for breast health screening: thermography and Halo breast pap. Halo breast pap tests for the presence of abnormal fluid in the breast ducts. The test consists of five minutes on a modified breast pump to attempt to obtain fluid. If there is any fluid present, it will be sent for further testing. The test can detect early cellular changes within the breast ducts, the area where more than 90% of breast cancer begins. Each of these tests can be provided to women of any age who are not pregnant or breast-feeding.

What to do if you are at increased risk?

Aromatase is an enzyme produced in the body that is needed for the final step in the production of estrogen as part of the hormonal cascade during which hormones are made from other hormones in a series of conversions. This enzyme converts androgen to estrogen. Aromatase is expressed at a higher level in breast cancer tissue than in benign tissue. Estrogen biosynthesis can be suppressed by the prevention of aromatase expression in breast tumors or by the inhibition of aromatase activity. Without the aromatase enzyme, excessive production of estrogen stalls. This process is what makes aromatase inhibitors effective against hormone-sensitive tumor growth.

High estrogen levels are a well-known risk for breast cancer. Many breast cancers depend on estrogen to grow. In fact, seventy per cent of diagnosed breast cancers express Estrogen Receptor alpha (ER{alpha}) and are, therefore, likely to be hormone-responsive. Apart from commercial and synthetic aromatase inhibitors, where can you find natural sources of such inhibitors?

Natural aromatase inhibitors include flavonoids, flavones, flavanones, isoflavones, resveratrol, oleuropein and linoleic acid. These are healing foods for breast cancer and other hormone-sensitive diseases.
Quercetin, Resveratrol, and Chrysin are found in PriVita, a natural aromatase inhibitor for breast health.
If you do have risk factors for breast cancer, consider a natural supplement.