DYK the speculum hasn’t changed since the 1800s?
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@AnnieBuddy @JoBlakely @anna_lillith well, not just that. They also detect cancer and pre-cancer which is, yknow, deadly.
Yep, the instruments suck. And people are finally being given the funds to do the work needed to improve them.But personally I'd rather have the occasional unpleasant appointment than cancer treatment that might not work because I wasn't diagnosed early enough.
Sadly boobs and cervices don't dangle conveniently like testicles..!
@noodlemaz @AnnieBuddy @anna_lillith
Dogs could be trained to detect by smell. They are always sticking their noses there. It’d be way nicer if you went to the dogtor. Less invasive and not painful. Plus cuteness. Pay in dog treats. lol. I’ve heard they can detect with more accuracy even by breath.
Why not train more dognostics.
You can get a second opinion with another dog and then choose a more invasive course of action after.
I am serious about this. -
@AnnieBuddy @JoBlakely @anna_lillith well, not just that. They also detect cancer and pre-cancer which is, yknow, deadly.
Yep, the instruments suck. And people are finally being given the funds to do the work needed to improve them.But personally I'd rather have the occasional unpleasant appointment than cancer treatment that might not work because I wasn't diagnosed early enough.
Sadly boobs and cervices don't dangle conveniently like testicles..!
@noodlemaz @AnnieBuddy @anna_lillith
Boobs dangle enough to smash them between plates.
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@noodlemaz @AnnieBuddy @anna_lillith
Dogs could be trained to detect by smell. They are always sticking their noses there. It’d be way nicer if you went to the dogtor. Less invasive and not painful. Plus cuteness. Pay in dog treats. lol. I’ve heard they can detect with more accuracy even by breath.
Why not train more dognostics.
You can get a second opinion with another dog and then choose a more invasive course of action after.
I am serious about this.@JoBlakely @AnnieBuddy @anna_lillith mmnope, sadly, dogs would not be a reliable way to detect breast cancer early. Though you're right it would be more fun (for everyone who isn't allergic/phobic anyway)
https://news.cancerresearchuk.org/2009/02/03/can-dogs-detect-the-smell-of-cancer/Screening needs to have a low false negative (tells you no cancer when you have it) and false positive (tells you you have cancer when you don't) rate and need to be accurate. Research is happening to see what dogs can do (which is very cool), but it's not a practical or feasible population screening method at all.
Lots of work happening to make screening tests like smears and mammograms better though!
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@noodlemaz @AnnieBuddy @anna_lillith
Dogs could be trained to detect by smell. They are always sticking their noses there. It’d be way nicer if you went to the dogtor. Less invasive and not painful. Plus cuteness. Pay in dog treats. lol. I’ve heard they can detect with more accuracy even by breath.
Why not train more dognostics.
You can get a second opinion with another dog and then choose a more invasive course of action after.
I am serious about this. -
@JoBlakely @AnnieBuddy @anna_lillith mmnope, sadly, dogs would not be a reliable way to detect breast cancer early. Though you're right it would be more fun (for everyone who isn't allergic/phobic anyway)
https://news.cancerresearchuk.org/2009/02/03/can-dogs-detect-the-smell-of-cancer/Screening needs to have a low false negative (tells you no cancer when you have it) and false positive (tells you you have cancer when you don't) rate and need to be accurate. Research is happening to see what dogs can do (which is very cool), but it's not a practical or feasible population screening method at all.
Lots of work happening to make screening tests like smears and mammograms better though!
@noodlemaz @AnnieBuddy @anna_lillith
I think if they can identify the specific scent for the robot nose, then they can identify the specific smell for the dog to improve accuracy. I think it is still possible to improve the accuracy.
You could send your samples to a Lab lab! lol. -
@JoBlakely @AnnieBuddy @anna_lillith mmnope, sadly, dogs would not be a reliable way to detect breast cancer early. Though you're right it would be more fun (for everyone who isn't allergic/phobic anyway)
https://news.cancerresearchuk.org/2009/02/03/can-dogs-detect-the-smell-of-cancer/Screening needs to have a low false negative (tells you no cancer when you have it) and false positive (tells you you have cancer when you don't) rate and need to be accurate. Research is happening to see what dogs can do (which is very cool), but it's not a practical or feasible population screening method at all.
Lots of work happening to make screening tests like smears and mammograms better though!
@noodlemaz @JoBlakely @anna_lillith
I have been having annual (sometimes more) mammograms since I was 25. It started with a lumpectomy and there's been many false alarms since then. Every year, there is at least one scare, all from the fact that I have extremely dense breasts and they can't get great information. When there are followups required, every one has been from a palpable or visible lump and was not discovered in a mammogram. I am then referred for follow up ultrasounds and sometimes needle biopsies. Under the circumstances, I feel they should just go to the ultrasounds, but I'm not a medical professional so I still follow the doctors.
I understand that they work for some, but the pain has been ongoing and has yet to help me. I certainly hope they help others.
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@noodlemaz @AnnieBuddy @anna_lillith
I think if they can identify the specific scent for the robot nose, then they can identify the specific smell for the dog to improve accuracy. I think it is still possible to improve the accuracy.
You could send your samples to a Lab lab! lol.@JoBlakely @noodlemaz @anna_lillith
Ha haha. You're on a tear

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@noodlemaz @AnnieBuddy @anna_lillith
Boobs dangle enough to smash them between plates.
@JoBlakely @AnnieBuddy @anna_lillith some people's do... But not enough to roll around between the fingers to find any lumps. Breasts are very different internally in structure from testes too, of course. As I'm sure you're aware..! But it all adds up to things just being more difficult.
But part of that is of course medicine's long-term neglect of female-typical bodies so, here's hoping a corner has been turned and things keep improving. But of course that all needs research funding so, governments need to step up and support R&D. #scienceIsVital #cancerResearch
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@noodlemaz @JoBlakely @anna_lillith
I have been having annual (sometimes more) mammograms since I was 25. It started with a lumpectomy and there's been many false alarms since then. Every year, there is at least one scare, all from the fact that I have extremely dense breasts and they can't get great information. When there are followups required, every one has been from a palpable or visible lump and was not discovered in a mammogram. I am then referred for follow up ultrasounds and sometimes needle biopsies. Under the circumstances, I feel they should just go to the ultrasounds, but I'm not a medical professional so I still follow the doctors.
I understand that they work for some, but the pain has been ongoing and has yet to help me. I certainly hope they help others.
@AnnieBuddy @JoBlakely @anna_lillith breast density is now a better-understood risk factor, yes, sorry you've had such an ordeal. It does make mammograms harder to read too.
This might be interesting if you weren't aware of it?
(not the crappy kind of AI, for once)
https://news.cancerresearchuk.org/2021/09/08/speaking-a-thousand-words-how-a-cancer-image-collection-is-set-to-improve-ai-diagnosis/ -
@AnnieBuddy @JoBlakely @anna_lillith well, not just that. They also detect cancer and pre-cancer which is, yknow, deadly.
Yep, the instruments suck. And people are finally being given the funds to do the work needed to improve them.But personally I'd rather have the occasional unpleasant appointment than cancer treatment that might not work because I wasn't diagnosed early enough.
Sadly boobs and cervices don't dangle conveniently like testicles..!
@noodlemaz
You're right about the dangly bits but a prostate biopsy is no fun.
@AnnieBuddy @JoBlakely @anna_lillith -
@noodlemaz
You're right about the dangly bits but a prostate biopsy is no fun.
@AnnieBuddy @JoBlakely @anna_lillith@pthane @AnnieBuddy @JoBlakely @anna_lillith I'm sure it's not but you really don't want to turn up telling women about how internal procedures are un-fun, trust me.
