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By Bill Altreuter

One of the things that I haven't mentioned here about EGA's cancer diagnosis is that she found a lump some five months before she was sent for further testing. Being EGA, when she found the lump she went immediately to the University clinic, and was told that it was probably nothing. The lump didn't go away, so she went back, and that was when they sent her for an ultrasound.

Now, the fact is that breast malignancies are extremely rare in women her age. If what you are interested in doing is containing costs by playing the percentages what happened here is not altogether unreasonable, I suppose. That said, it seems to me that containing costs by playing the percentages isn't really the goal I have in mind for a sound health care system. I want doctors who will find the cancer, and I don't think that's a lot to ask for. It also seems to me that an ultrasound is an inexpensive, non-invasive way to follow up on something like this. I remain aghast that this was not something was done. If the medical profession won't step up than perhaps self-help is in order. The Breastlight is device which is supposed to help women spot suspicious breast lumps. $77 quid is expensive, I think, but I'd like to see one in every woman's locker room, and in women's dorms, and a lot of other places like that. (Via BoingBoing.)

Full post as published by Outside Counsel on June 10, 2009 (boomark / email).