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Waiting for Biopsy results causes more than anxiety
WDI newsletter Summer 2009
RIDGEWOOD, New Jersey — The anxiety you feel while waiting for biopsy results is not just in your mind—it’s in your blood. The nation’s average wait-time for biopsy results is two-and-a-half days. But researchers found that women made to wait five days or more for results, have Cortisol levels that are as high as women recently diagnosed with cancer. Cortisol, a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands, circulates in blood and body fluids, and is a well-established biomarker of stress.
According to Elvira Lang, lead author of the study and associate professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School, high levels of Cortisol depress the immune response, which impairs healing. Women who are told they tested positive after waiting five days or more for results, face an even greater health risk due to being in a weakened state from the stress of waiting for results. This study shows the necessity of giving results to patients as soon as possible.
Women’s Health Imaging Quarterly is published four times a year by Women’s Digital Imaging of Ridgewood, New Jersey, a private practice led by Dr. Lisa Weinstock, specializing in detecting and diagnosing conditions such as breast cancer, gynecologic diseases and osteoporosis. WDI offers a comfortable, private environment, the accuracy of the most advanced diagnostic instruments, and exceptional care from compassionate, highly qualified female doctors.
© Copyright 2008 Women’s Digital Imaging of Ridgewood, New Jersey, All Rights Reserved
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