Author Archives: Donna Pinto

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About Donna Pinto

After being diagnosed with DCIS in 2010, Donna transformed her personal journey into a mission of advocacy and education. She became an investigative journalist and patient advocate, later earning certification as a nutritionist. As a nonprofit founder, author, speaker, blogger, and podcaster, Donna has dedicated over 15 years to empowering women with knowledge and support. Through her website, DCIS 411, she shares insights on DCIS overdiagnosis and overtreatment, safer breast imaging alternatives, and holistic strategies for achieving optimal health—impacting thousands of women worldwide.

31 Days of “Little Known” FACTS — For Breast Cancer Awareness Month — Day 16 — Dairy May Increase Breast Cancer Mortality Risk

Posted on October 16, 2019 by Donna Pinto

Did you know… Studies have linked dairy products to an increased risk of breast cancer mortality. “Dairy cheese contains reproductive hormones that may increase breast cancer mortality risk.” That’s the warning label the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine—a nonprofit with … Continue reading →

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31 Days of “Little Known” FACTS — For Breast Cancer Awareness Month — Day 15 — Toxic “Forever Chemicals” in Pink Post-It Notes May Increase Breast Cancer Risk

Posted on October 15, 2019 by Donna Pinto

Did you know… PFAS are called “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down, and evidence shows that even very low levels of PFAS exposure is not safe for human health. Please consider joining Breast Cancer Action in their campaign to call out … Continue reading →

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31 Days of “Little Known” FACTS — For Breast Cancer Awareness Month — Day 14 — Some Doctors are Paid $$$ for Persuading Women to Get Screening Mammograms

Posted on October 14, 2019 by Donna Pinto

Did you know… Some doctors are given cash bonuses for persuading women to get screening mammograms. One ethical doctor published a paper in the British Medical Journal, April 3, 2019: Helen Salisbury: Should I persuade patients to have mammograms? “Our … Continue reading →

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31 Days of “Little Known” FACTS — For Breast Cancer Awareness Month — Day 13 — Autopsy Studies Find High % of DCIS

Posted on October 13, 2019 by Donna Pinto

Did you know… A review of autopsy records showed that somewhere between 9% and 15% of women have undetected DCIS at death (Welch, 1997). This supports the idea that a proportion of DCIS occurrences will not progress into invasive cancer … Continue reading →

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31 Days of “Little Known” FACTS — For Breast Cancer Awareness Month — Day 12 — Switzerland Review Board Recommended Abolishing Mammography Screening

Posted on October 12, 2019 by Donna Pinto

Did you know… Switzerland was advised to Phase Out Mammography Screening The Swiss Medical Board released a report of its findings in 2014 and concluded: no new systematic screening mammography programs should be introduced, all forms of mammography screening must … Continue reading →

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31 Days of “Little Known” FACTS — For Breast Cancer Awareness Month — Day 11 — It’s Ok to Opt Out of Mammograms

Posted on October 11, 2019 by Donna Pinto

Did you know… It’s Ok to Opt Out of Mammograms. In this must-read article, science writer, Christie Aschwanden lists key points (see below) of some of the “little known” harms of screening. She encourages women to review a chart on … Continue reading →

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31 Days of “Little Known” FACTS — For Breast Cancer Awareness Month — Day 10 — UNACCEPTABLE Rates of Failed Surgeries & When to Say “NO MORE”

Posted on October 10, 2019 by Donna Pinto

Did you know… The percentage of women who need a 2nd or 3rd surgery after a lumpectomy, (also called breast conserving surgery (BCS) or partial mastectomy) is alarmingly high — especially for DCIS (stage ZERO breast cancer).  One study showed … Continue reading →

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31 Days of “Little Known” FACTS — For Breast Cancer Awareness Month — Day 9 — Too Many Unnecessary Biopsies

Posted on October 9, 2019 by Donna Pinto

Did you know… 1.6 million breast biopsies are performed each year in the US, and approximately 80% are found to be benign. Why so many biopsies?  Fear of malpractice influences radiologists to order a biopsy of “anything and everything that … Continue reading →

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31 Days of “Little Known” FACTS — For Breast Cancer Awareness Month — Day 8 — Overdiagnosis Devastates Lives

Posted on October 8, 2019 by Donna Pinto

Did you know… Overdiagnosis of DCIS Devastates the Lives of Tens of Thousands of Healthy Women Every Year. In this country, the huge jump in D.C.I.S. diagnoses potentially transforms some 50,000 healthy people a year into “cancer survivors” and contributes … Continue reading →

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31 Days of “Little Known” FACTS — For Breast Cancer Awareness Month — Day 7 — “Peach Ribbons Not Pink”

Posted on October 7, 2019 by Donna Pinto

Did you know… The original “Breast Cancer Awareness Ribbon” (B.C.A.R.) was peach. It was created by a woman named Charlotte Haley as a grassroots call to action for prevention and greater accountability. But…Charlotte’s peach ribbon got hijacked. The story is … Continue reading →

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