Technology has come a long way over the years -- and now the technology behind digital mammography is allowing life-saving screenings for the toughest patients to diagnose with breast cancer.

This is no small technological breakthough. It is a critical component for lowering the breast cancer death rate the American Cancer Society reports has declined 2.3 percent each year between 1990 and 2002. Since breast cancer is a treatable disease if caught early, digital mammography will up the odds of survival for women with this disease.

Digital mammography operates according to a computer-based technique that allows for digital manipulation of a breast X-ray. It exceeds the capability of film mammography -- and is much like the comparison between digital photography versus film photography. Both work. But one works better.

Studies show digital mammograms have a lot to offer. They detect tumors better in young women with dense breast tissue, for example. They allow for ease of storage and retrieval of images. And they can easily become part of a woman's electronic medical record.

There are still benefits of traditional mammography and women are still urged to use this less expensive option. They are also urged to conduct self-breast exams and to report for clinical exams with physicians. It's the whole package that contributes to comprehensive breast health, not just one isolated test. When used in combination with all other screening methods, digital mammography makes for a more accurate overall picture.

A chemical found in hard plastics -- such as CD cases, baby bottles, food-storage containers, and even electronics parts -- has been loosely linked to incidences of breast cancer. Popular opinion cautions that if we were not worried about this news yesterday, we should not be worried about it today -- because studies are preliminary and nothing is definitive at this point. But there are definitely two sides to the debate over how harmful these hard plastics may be.

The chemical in question -- a pseudo-estrogen called bisphenol-A (BPA) -- appears to be absorbed by breast tumor cells, according to a new study published in the August 28 issue of Chemistry & Biology. Previous studies have linked small exposures of BPA to prostate abnormalities in mice that suggest a link between the plastic chemical and human prostate cancer. Some studies even theorize that embryonic and fetal exposure might influence mental retardation and birth defects. And because this pseudo-estrogen is a synthetic material that in human cells can trigger estrogenic effects, breast cancer now comes up as a disease that may result from this questionable chemical.

Critics say that average levels of the chemical found in urine is infinitesimally small -- about one part per billion. Some say the results of this research come from in-vitro studies that one expert says can never fully explain human disease. Yet the real crux of the matter, according to another expert, is that we are surrounded by all sorts of chemicals that are pseudo-estrogenic -- not just BPA -- and it's the cumulative effects that we do need to worry about.

Flaxseed, as an antioxidant believed to prevent and protect against cancer, contains alpha linolenic acid, which is an omega-3 fatty acid, and lignan, a phytoestrogen which appears to inhibit estrogen production -- a benefit for women with estrogen-positive breast cancers. For maximum nutritional value, buy whole flaxseed, and measure out the amount the seeds desired for each recipe, grinding the flaxseed in a small coffee bean grinder. Grinding breaks down the outer shell and releases the beneficial oil. Store whole flaxseed in a dry sealed container. Ground flaxseed needs to be refrigerated in an airtight container, and is good for about a month. Flaxseed oil is available, usually in the cooler section of the store, and you can purchase flaxseed oil supplements. To incorporate flaxseed into your daily diet, simply sprinkle fresh ground flaxseed on your breakfast cereal, on lunch or dinner salads, in baking goods, or as a topping for yogurt. The more you use flaxseed, the more uses you will find for it. You can substitute flaxseed oil for other oils when making salad dressings or as a butter substitute on steamed vegetables. Research is continuing to indicate that flaxseed might be a beneficial cancer prevention food for a number of cancers, including breast cancer, prostate cancer and melanoma.