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Sam Armytage slams newspaper that criticised her mammogram advice

Samantha Armytage has slammed The Age for publishing what she describes as “one of the most foolish opinion pieces (she has) ever encountered”. <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/samantha-armytage-s-advice-on-mammograms-was-misguided-20180223-p4z1h9.html">The column</a>, authored by a doctor, was written in response to Sam’s “misguided” advice that women at the age of 40 should be thinking about having a mammogram. The Sunrise host recently underwent a mammogram for a segment on Channel Seven's breakfast show. In the segment, she revealed she was called back for further testing following her initial screening, an experience she described as “very scary”. “Immediately I thought the worst, as you tend to do. I had to do two more mammograms and an ultrasound... it was a very scary day. The test took five hours. Thankfully, I was given the all-clear,” Sam recalled. Sam then resolves to have a mammogram every year, adding: “The number one thing I found out this week was that every doctor I saw said ‘I don't know why they're telling women to come in at 50, you girls should be coming in at 40 (for a mammogram)’.” However, an opinion piece published on The Age on the weekend claimed Sam’s advice was “foolish” and “misguided”. Penned by doctor and professor at the University of Sydney, Alexandra Barratt, the column stated: “Screening tests can lead to "overdiagnosis" - the detection of cancers that are so slow growing, they will never cause symptoms or death and are better left alone.” Dr Barratt added: “Screening can turn healthy women... into cancer patients who have surgery and drug and radiation treatments for a harmless cancer.” She wrote “screening healthy women in their 40s is more likely to harm than save lives” and advised women under the age of 50 to see a doctor if they notice changes in their breasts. <img width="417" height="339" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/02/25/09/4992904200000578-5432135-Having_her_say_Sam_posted_a_screencap_of_the_articles_headline_t-a-44_1519549417821.jpg" alt="Having her say: Sam posted a screengrab of the article's headline to Instagram, accompanied by a lengthy comment criticising Fairfax Media" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="i-3790dc64d7c2de8d"/> Taking to Instagram that same day, the 41-year-old presenter hit back, writing: “Appalling that The Age newspaper would print this.” While Sam clarified that she “didn't want everyone to flood the health system”, she advised it was something that “at the age of 40, you should be starting to think about”. She wrote: “Attacking me for encouraging women to have mammograms. Honestly... At NO POINT did I give medical advice. “My breast cancer specialist told me she would like women to be checked from 40 onwards... And all of my statistics for this story concerning breast cancer came from Breast Screen NSW.' “Appalling that The Age newspaper would print this,” Sam concluded.

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Sofia Vergara shares an important health message for all women

Sofia Vergara burst onto the scene thanks to her starring role in Modern Family, and now the brunette beauty is using her fame to raise awareness of the importance of regular mammograms. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the 45-year-old actress has thrown her support behind the campaign by sharing an Instagram video of herself posing in front of a mammography machine, captioned, “You have to do it!!!” <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media"> <div style="padding: 8px;"> <div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 62.5% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"> <div style="background: url(data:image/png; base64,ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaacwaaaascamaaaapwqozaaaabgdbtueaalgpc/xhbqaaaafzukdcak7ohokaaaamuexurczmzpf399fx1+bm5mzy9amaaadisurbvdjlvzxbesmgces5/p8/t9furvcrmu73jwlzosgsiizurcjo/ad+eqjjb4hv8bft+idpqocx1wjosbfhh2xssxeiyn3uli/6mnree07uiwjev8ueowds88ly97kqytlijkktuybbruayvh5wohixmpi5we58ek028czwyuqdlkpg1bkb4nnm+veanfhqn1k4+gpt6ugqcvu2h2ovuif/gwufyy8owepdyzsa3avcqpvovvzzz2vtnn2wu8qzvjddeto90gsy9mvlqtgysy231mxry6i2ggqjrty0l8fxcxfcbbhwrsyyaaaaaelftksuqmcc); display: block; height: 44px; margin: 0 auto -44px; position: relative; top: -22px; width: 44px;"></div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BZ6qVRRAFMu/" target="_blank">A post shared by Sofia Vergara (@sofiavergara)</a> on Oct 6, 2017 at 11:26am PDT </div> </blockquote> Amazingly, her post seems to have worked, with fans praising her for encouraging other women to have their breasts checked, and one even writing, “Going to make my appointment tomorrow!” It’s not the first time the actress has been candid about breast health, either. In May last year, she shared a selfie at the mammogram clinic, captioned, “It’s that time of year again.” <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media"> <div style="padding: 8px;"> <div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50.0% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"> <div style="background: url(data:image/png; base64,ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaacwaaaascamaaaapwqozaaaabgdbtueaalgpc/xhbqaaaafzukdcak7ohokaaaamuexurczmzpf399fx1+bm5mzy9amaaadisurbvdjlvzxbesmgces5/p8/t9furvcrmu73jwlzosgsiizurcjo/ad+eqjjb4hv8bft+idpqocx1wjosbfhh2xssxeiyn3uli/6mnree07uiwjev8ueowds88ly97kqytlijkktuybbruayvh5wohixmpi5we58ek028czwyuqdlkpg1bkb4nnm+veanfhqn1k4+gpt6ugqcvu2h2ovuif/gwufyy8owepdyzsa3avcqpvovvzzz2vtnn2wu8qzvjddeto90gsy9mvlqtgysy231mxry6i2ggqjrty0l8fxcxfcbbhwrsyyaaaaaelftksuqmcc); display: block; height: 44px; margin: 0 auto -44px; position: relative; top: -22px; width: 44px;"></div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BFhnpzJLpb3/" target="_blank">A post shared by Sofia Vergara (@sofiavergara)</a> on May 17, 2016 at 3:34pm PDT </div> </blockquote>

Caring

If you have breasts like this you could be at risk of cancer

Amber Whalan <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-26/have-you-got-dense-breasts-you-could-be-at-risk-of-cancer/8981614" target="_blank">was just 28 years old and pregnant</a> when she found a lump on her breast. Naturally, she went to have it checked, but the technician was unable to make a diagnosis due to her breast tissue being so dense. It wasn’t until she had an MRI scan it was revealed that the lump was cancerous. And Whalan isn’t the only one. An estimated 2 million women around the country have dense breasts, putting them at a higher risk of developing cancer – <a href="http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa062790#t=article" target="_blank">five times more likely</a>, in fact. But what are dense breasts and how can you tell if you have them? As <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-26/have-you-got-dense-breasts-you-could-be-at-risk-of-cancer/8981614" target="_blank">ABC</a> explains, breasts are made from a combination of glandular, fatty and fibrous tissue – but no two women have the same composition of each. Some are fattier, while others are more fibrous. It’s that concentration of fibrous tissue which indicates “dense breasts”. <img width="500" height="375" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/43447/image__500x375.jpg" alt="Image_ (19)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Image credit: Massachusetts General Hospital/ABC News. Because dense tissue appears as white on a mammogram (the same colour as tumours and other abnormalities), it makes it almost impossible for technicians to spot an issue. Unfortunately, you can’t tell for yourself if you have dense breasts by looking or feeling, and neither can your doctor. The only way to identify density is through a mammogram. According to breast cancer charity Pink Hope, around 83 per cent of Australian women don’t know if they have dense breasts or not, and four out of five had no idea that dense breasts carried an increased risk of cancer. It’s believed that up to 50 per cent of Aussie women between the ages of 40 and 74 have dense tissue, and unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do about it. However, your breast tissue does become less dense with age. If you have concerns about your breasts or simply want to know if you’re at risk, take action and organise a mammogram.

Body

More than 400,000 Australian women haven’t had their mammogram

Nearly half a million Australian women haven’t had their recommended mammogram in the past two years. That roughly translates to 2,000 women in NSW who currently have breast cancer but just don’t know it, new figures from BreastScreen NSW show. Their research found 425,000 Australian women aged between 50 and 74 haven't gone for a breast screen in the last couple years. It’s an alarming statistic considering breast cancer claims the lives of more than 900 women in NSW each year. BreastScreen NSW ambassador Jean Kittson says we need to encourage women to regularly get screened as early detection of breast cancer is so vital. “The facts are that 2,000 women between the age of 50 and 74 have breast cancer and don’t know it. It is a startling and disturbing statistic. And it is even more distressing to know that their chances of survival would be so much greater if they had only had a simple, free, readily available mammogram provided by Breastscreen NSW,” she said. The comedian added, “A mammogram is an excellent, proven early detection test that finds cancer in its very early stages, before it can be seen or felt. When cancer is detected early, the treatment is much less invasive, and the five year survival rate is 98 per cent.” BreastScreen NSW launched a state-wide campaign on Wednesday to find the thousands of women who don't know they have breast cancer. They are also urging all women between the ages of 50 and 74 to book their free mammogram, reminding them it takes just 20 minutes and no referral from a GP is needed. Related links: <a href="/health/body/2016/03/digestive-tips/">5 “digestible” tips to reboot your health and wellbeing</a> <a href="/health/body/2016/03/diets-over-detoxes/">Detox versus diet: which one is best?</a> <a href="/health/body/2016/03/low-carb-diet-for-irritable-bowel/">The low carb diet for irritable bowel</a>

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