Understanding the Mammography Controversy

Writing to be understood by the layreader, Finkel shows how breast cancer develops and explains the controversy surrounding mammography. How valid are the screenings? Who should be screened? How frequently? At what age? Should women be screened at all? This book dissects the issues to help present answers. Above all, says Finkel. Women need to make informed decisions, and to do what they need to understand the potential benefits and potential harms accompanying mammography.

This book includes a timeline showing changing public advice on mammography across the years. Listings explain how to see federal reports on mammography facilites and how to find and contact support groups. Finkel details the development of breast cancer and its various types of tumors, the treatment options, and the psychological effects. Also provided are techniques for—and questions to ask when—communicating with your doctor in order to make informed decisions.

Madelon L. Finkel is Professor of Clinical Public Health at Cornell University's Weill Medical College, and Director of the Office of Global Health Medical Education. A professor at Cornell for more than two decades, she earned her PhD in epidemiology and health services research from the Graduate School of the Arts and Sciences at New York University. She has been awarded the highest honor at Cornell's medical college, the Excellence in Teaching Award. She has authored 10 books, including Truth, Lies and Public Health: How We Are Affected When Science and Politics Collide (Praeger, 2007).