I know this is off topic from walking-v-running, but it's so important I'm jumping in anyway. I've had decades of mammograms because I thought I felt a lump when I was 34. Turned out to be fibrocystic breasts but they convinced me I needed yearly follow-ups to see if anything changed. A few years ago they stopped referring to fibrocystic breasts and started saying I had calcium deposits. Honestly, I don't know if that is the same thing or not. But this year I've finally decided NO MORE MAMMOGRAMS. I've heard enough to convince me that they can do more harm than good:

(A) Radiation causes cancer - duh! Each time you get a mammogram you increase your chance of getting cancer by 2%.
(B) Squashing a breast, that does indeed have cancerous cells, in a vice will spread the cancer!
(C) Mammograms do not detect cancer until a lump has formed, whereas thermography detects whether extra blood is being fed to a particular part of the breast, and that would indicate the presence of cancerous cells at the earliest stage because they need extra blood to grow and form into a lump.

I do believe in preventative care but in my case, an ultrasound exam is probably more helpful, as I do already have something in my breast that needs watching for changes - without being flattened in a vice. But I dread the back and forth of convincing insurance to pay for it.

I've had a couple of colonoscopies. They are a breeze compared to mammograms. The worst part is the night before when you have to empty your colon with a diarrhea-inducing drink. The drink tastes fine, but the constant running to the bathroom is a drag. Next day they put you out for the procedure, you don't feel a thing, and wake up in a recovery room. The whole thing doesn't take long and you can go home right away if you are not woozy, especially if you have someone to pick you up.