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Unproven for older women, digital mammography saps Medicare dollars

By Joe Eaton, Elizabeth Lucas and David Donald

High-tech, digital mammography may not be any better at detecting breast cancer in women over 65 than older film-based systems, but Medicare

Excerpts from this story referencing "breast cancer":

"… s magazines suggesting digital mammograms were more effective at finding breast cancer than traditional film tests. They played on emotions with mother and child …"

"… market.But experts say the newer technology has not been proven to improve breast cancer detection, particularly among women 65 and older who make up the vast majo …"

"… technology took off. In 2003, film mammograms made up all but 4 percent of breast cancer mammography claims. By 2008, digital mammography had trumped film, rising …"

"… by the Center suggests digital mammography may have increased the cost of breast cancer screening by more than $350 million from 2003 to 2008, further depleting t …"

Digital mammography no better than film for most women, despite increased costs

By Joe Eaton

New report shows little difference despite increased costs for digital

Excerpts from this story referencing "breast cancer":

"… mmography with less expensive film mammography found that the two types of breast cancer screens are equally effective at detecting cancers in most women, undersco …"

"… from 2003 to 2005, and found that digital mammograms increased the cost of breast cancer screening for older women by more than $350 million over that time period. …"

"… that in 10 years of annual mammograms, more than half of all women without breast cancer will be called back at least once for more testing, and about one in 12 wi …"

Union demands protection for workers, after breast cancer linked to auto plastics industry

By Jennifer Quinn, Robert Cribb, Julian Sher and Jim Morris

A study linking higher rates of breast cancer for women in the auto plastics industry triggers anger among workers.

Excerpts from this story referencing "breast cancer":

"… study that showed women working in those industries have a higher risk for breast cancer raised calls for protection of those workers.And after the study’s princ …"

"… ht,” she said. “We should be mad. One in nine women are diagnosed with breast cancer.”The six-year study, published Monday in the journal Environmental …"

"… e occupational histories of 1,006 women in Essex and Kent counties who had breast cancer, and another 1,146 who did not.The researchers, who came from Canada, the …"

"… e automotive plastics industry were almost five times as likely to develop breast cancer, prior to menopause, as women in a control group.Lead researcher James Bro …"

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U.S. report urges deeper look into breast cancer's environmental links

By Jim Morris

A new federal report urges enhanced research into potential environmental triggers of breast cancer.

Excerpts from this story referencing "breast cancer":

"… eport makes a forceful case for more research into environmental causes of breast cancer, which was diagnosed in 227,000 women, killed 40,000 and cost more than $1 …"

"… ental Research Coordinating Committee, the report notes that most cases of breast cancer “occur in people with no family history,” suggesting that “environme …"

"… action of federal research funding has gone toward examining links between breast cancer and ubiquitous chemicals such as the plastic hardening agent bisphenol A; …"

"… he chemical-intensive industry were nearly five times as likely to develop breast cancer, prior to menopause, as women in a control group. “That was essentially …"

Consultants

By Kevin Bogardus

Profiles of the top consultants in 2003 and 2004

Excerpts from this story referencing "National Education Association":

"… f liberal organizations, creating political mail for the AFL-CIO, the National Education Association, and NARAL Pro-Choice America.Media Strategies & Research Web sit …"

Radiation panel fairness questioned

Ailing Cold War veterans say compensation program biased

Excerpts from this story referencing "breast cancer":

"… ery difficult one to make. My point is, I am a 60-year-old woman and I get breast cancer. The probability that I get breast cancer is going to be 1 in 3 anyway. If …"

"… am a 60-year-old woman and I get breast cancer. The probability that I get breast cancer is going to be 1 in 3 anyway. If I were an employee who had been working f …"

"… orking for the DOE, would I or would I not expect to be compensated for my breast cancer when, perhaps, I had very little actual exposure?"Board member John Poston …"

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Ask Wendell: Squeak long and loud with health insurers

By Wendell Potter

Deb Richter's case proves it: health insurance firms don't like high-profile controversies

Excerpts from this story referencing "breast cancer":

"… r from my insurance company stating that they are investigating whether my breast cancer is a pre-existing condition. Mind you, my mammogram one year ago was compl …"

Forty percent of Medicare spending on common cancer screenings unnecessary, probe suggests

By Rochelle Sharpe and Elizabeth Lucas

Forty percent of Medicare spending on common cancer screenings may be unnecessary

Excerpts from this story referencing "breast cancer":

"… people explain why they disregard task force guidelines, they refer to its breast cancer statement. Many misinterpreted the statement to mean that women in their 4 …"

"… insufficient evidence to recommend screenings for those 75 and over. Many breast cancers grow so slowly that older women would die of other causes before the canc …"

"… them, the task force said. In addition, women in this age group who do get breast cancer are more likely to get a type which is much more easily treatable, so earl …"

"… Still, Medicare spent more than $1 billion screening these older women for breast cancer between 2003 and 2008, iWatch News found. That was 38 percent of …"

Research methodology

By David Donald and Elizabeth Lucas

A look at how data was gathered for Medicare reporting

Excerpts from this story referencing "breast cancer":

"… mprecise.The analysis of Medicare claims for prostate, cervical, colon and breast cancer screenings was based on procedure codes obtained from documents and guidel …"

EPA fails to inform public about weed-killer in drinking water

By Danielle Ivory

An herbicide atrazine has been found in four state, at levels ten times higher than federal safety limits

Excerpts from this story referencing "European Union":

"… to high levels of atrazine have been documented to grow eggs.In 2004, the European Union banned atrazine because it was consistently showing up in drinking water a …"

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