Testing Yourself For Breast Cancer

I’ve personally known too many women in my life who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, all under the average age of diagnosis, which is 62 for women and 67 for men.

According to Breastcancer.org, in 2023 an estimated 297,790 new cases of invasive breast cancer along with 62,930 new cases of non-invasive breast cancer are expected in U.S. in women, and about 2,800 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in men.

Early detection of breast cancer significantly increases chances of survival.

AND reducing your risk factors for cancers significantly decreases your chances of getting cancer ever!

Now, cancer doesn’t just pop up overnight. Although it might seem that way if you’re not regularly screening yourself and you all of a sudden find a lump.

But chances are, that lump was growing for some time, and before it was a lump there were other signs indicating an increase in cancer risk such as:

• Heavy or painful periods

• Fibroids and ovarian cysts

• Weight gain and adult acne

• Infertility or reproductive issues

• Chronic fatigue and autoimmune conditions

High risk factors for breast cancer can include:

• Family history 

• High sugar/carbohydrate diet

• Use of plastic food and water containers

• Excess estrogen circulating in the body

• A sluggish liver and poor detoxification system

• High oxidative stress (cellular/DNA damage)

• Repeated exposures to hormone altering toxins and radiation via foods, household chemicals, and toxic dental procedures

• Emotional wounds put on the back burner

• Overly busy work/life balance

• Toxic relationships

• Lack of key nutrients in the diet

• Poor quality sleep and not prioritizing sleep

• Lack of movement or too high impact/stressful movement 

In my opinion, there are three tools or resources every woman (and man) should have access to in order to regularly screen for breast cancer.

• My Breast Friend, breast exam method

• The DUTCH cortisol hormone test

• HERSCAN, ultrasound screening 

So first, let me introduce you to Dr. Veronique Desaulniers, D.C., better known as Dr. V.

Dr. V is a two-time breast cancer survivor.  She thus founded Breast Cancer Conqueror® and developed the 7 Essentials System® as a method to empower, support and connect women all around the globe who are facing similar challenges with their health.

Her mission is to also teach women to confidently and consistently perform proper breast self-exams with the assistance of My Breast Friend™, an at-home self-exam kit.

My Breast Friend™ is based on the Mammacare Method®, a scientifically validated breast exam method that has been the gold standard for 3 decades.

With the My Breast Friend™ kit and training, Dr. V teaches women how to properly do a self-exam, about the different types of breast nodules and how to tell the difference between what’s abnormal and what your breasts normally feel like.  

For as little as $127, Dr. V helps women become a skilled personal breast examiner for themselves! (get the My Breast Friend™ kit and training here).

Now let’s talk about the DUTCH cortisol and hormone test.

The DUTCH test doesn’t diagnose cancer, but it can be used as a comprehensive tool to evaluate hormones and risk factors.

Estrogen is widely talked about as a major cause for breast cancer, but what really matters is how estrogen is moving through the 2 phases of detoxification, inflammation and oxidative stress (aka cellular or DNA damage).

The DUTCH test can provide a plethora of insights about estrogen, hormone metabolism balance as it relates to cancer risk that can’t be found or as easily identified on a blood or saliva test such as…

• Estrogen dominance - high total estrogens or high compared to low progesterone

• Insulin resistance / carbohydrate and sugar intolerance triggering inflammation

• Estrogen preferring the more carcinogenic 4OH metabolic pathway

• Cortisol and DHEA dysregulation indicating chronic inflammation and stress

• Low Melatonin and Glutathione - 2 antioxidants to prevent cancer

• Oxidative stress levels showing cellular/DNA damage

These DUTCH test clues combined with family history can be very helpful not only for preventing and reversing breast cancer, but also for addressing a wide range of other health issues from chronic fatigue, weight gain, autoimmune conditions and more.

AND, for men and women alike!

My other favorite tool and suggestion for prevention is the HerScan ultrasound screening. When anything shows abnormal on a mammogram they will suggest getting an ultrasound for further detection. Why not start with an ultrasound AND avoid the negative radiation that comes with the mammogram procedures? The power of an ultrasound can increase the detection of breast cancer from approximately 48% to 97%, particularly in women with dense breasts. Ultrasound screenings are capable of detecting cancers that cannot be found by mammography and physical exams alone. Sometimes mammograms and physical exams just are not enough, particularly in women with dense breasts.  HerScan’s are superior in that they are…

• Convenient and easy access, schedule online and the procedure itself takes 20 minutes or less

• Uses the latest technology, state of the art Ultrasound Technology can see breast abnormalities that cannot be seen by mammography or by physical exam. Ultrasound sees all the way to the chest wall.

• Top expertise, all of their tests are read by a Board-Certified Radiologist. HerScan Sonographers are RDMS Registered, and are highly experienced breast specialists. Results are conveniently and promptly emailed after review.

• Affordable, Your herscan screening includes a scan of both breasts with the axilla (underarm area), radiologist reading fee, and electronic access to your report. All for one payment of $295  (a value of up to $1100). Payment is due at the time of service. They accept HSA credit and major credit/debit cards.

Armed with these three tools, My Breast Friend™ the DUTCH test, and HerScan, any woman is able to test for breast cancer risks at any point in time.

The DUTCH test alone can help men screen their risk factors for breast and prostate cancer too.

Knowledge is power, but the tools to go along with it makes it even more powerful!  Don’t become a statistic, take your health into your own hands.

And if you need help getting your hands on the right lab tests and resources so you can find the missing pieces of your health puzzle so you can get back to feeling like yourself again, apply to schedule a Discovery Session with me.