Q: I’ve been getting mammograms every year for 10 years—I put up with it because my sister had breast cancer, so I’m supposedly at greater risk. But I’m getting pretty concerned about all that radiation. I’ve been hearing a lot about breast themography lately—should I be getting that done instead?

—B. Cavalli, Cedar Rapids, IA

A: Mammograms are useful for detecting cancer once you already have it, but…

Thermography catches cancer before it forms!

You see, breast thermography detects early tissue changes that often result in breast cancers. Even better, these changes are potentially reversible through diet and lifestyle. That seems a lot better to me than a mammogram that’s only designed to tell you when the horse has already left the barn.

Thermography works by measuring temperature patterns in the tissue. Areas of high temperature may reflect the increased blood flow that can be a precursor to tumor formation.

Researchers began studying thermo­graphy in the 70s and 80s as a method to detect cancer. It got some bad press in the medical community because of a 1982 study where it seemed to give a lot of false positives—it was diagnosing cancer where there didn’t seem to be any. The problem?

Thermography wasn’t just working—it was working too well!

Researchers came to understand that many of these false positives likely would have developed into cancer if the study had been extended. And this is when docs began to realize that thermography could detect cancer before it formed.

There are many docs today using thermography and mammograms together. For women who refuse mammograms due to radiation, a position I respect, thermography is a good preventative procedure on its own. Once at-risk tissue is identified, you can be treated with anti-inflammatory nutrients such as omega 3 fats, hops, rosemary and flax lignans, along with vitamin D and iodine, based on your individual need.

Some doctors also are using bio-identical hormones and diindolyl­methane (DIM) and indole 3 carbinole (I3C) to help establish a favorable balance of different estrogen types, which is important for breast cancer prevention. The good news is that DIM and I3C come from cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and kale, so adding these to your diet can help cut your cancer risk.

And here’s the kicker—patients with mild tissue changes who have been treated with these natural cures often see…

Pre-cancerous tissue changes reversed in as little as 3 months!

Thermography is not covered by insurance and runs in the $200 - $300 range. Some docs are new to thermography, so the standards for technology and interpretation are not as tight as I would like. However, Breast Health and Wellness Centers is a reputable company with clinics in several states. They’re a good place to start.

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