I'm going to spend the next few posts talking about some of this year's top health trends affecting midlifers. First up: celebrities and breast cancer.
As I have noted in several posts, I appreciate what some very famous women (like the remarkable Betty Ford, who died this year) have done to raise awareness of breast cancer. But I also think that other celebrities have spread misinformation.
This year, two famous women incited a certain amount of controversy when they disclosed how they discovered the tumors and their prognosis.
Andrea Mitchell, the veteran NBC broadcaster, announced in September that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. A routine screening spotted the tumor, she said. Mitchell upset a lot of breast cancer experts and activists with her assertion that "this disease can [italics are mine] be completely cured if you find it at the right time."
As I pointed out in my post on the controversy, I am sure she thought that the word "can" protected her from criticism, but the truth is that early screening doesn't insure a cure. Not all breast cancers can be "cured," even if they are found early. In fact, up to a third of women with early stage tumors will have a recurrence.
Then, there was reality TV star Giuliana Rancic, who announced a month later that she also had breast cancer. Mitchell is in her mid-60s, which is not an unusual age to be diagnosed. But Rancic was only 36 when she was diagnosed. That's well below the recommended age of 50 for annual screenings.
Rancic said the tumor was discovered because she had been undergoing fertility treatments and turned to a new doctor who, unlike the other two she had seen, recommended a mammogram. That screening turned up the breast cancer.
Her announcement was controversial because she said she was surprised that other doctors had not recommended a mammogram for her. Why would they? She's too young for the screening.
Still, overall it's a good thing when women talk openly about health issues. Hiding disease won't make it go away. I wish both Mitchell and Rancic many happy and healthy years ahead. And I hope that in 2012, any celebrities who decide to share their personal health information will do a little fact checking first.