Scott Hamilton talks cancer debate, 'Kaleidoscope'

Scott Hamilton, a cancer survivor, is weighing in on the latest controversial stance on breast cancer.

The 51-year-old figure skater appeared on FOX Business Thursday to discuss cancer and his upcoming holiday special "Kaleidoscope.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently released new guidelines regarding the necessity and frequency of mammograms, namely that women in their 40s need not get mammograms and that starting at age 50, mammograms were only recommended every other year. Not only that, but it was recommended that physicians stop teaching women how to do self-breast exams. The new guidelines claim that in general, the false positives that all this detection turns up creates unnecessary anxiety that doesn't really have much benefit.

Hamilton disagrees that such a broad statement could be made about cancer detection and points to musician Sheryl Crowe, who in her 40s discovered breast cancer through a routine mammogram.

He emphasizes that each person's approach to cancer is individual though and preaches, "Vigilance, vigilance, vigilance."




Later, he discusses "Kaleidoscope," the figure skating holiday special to raise cancer awareness that will air on FOX on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 26). He joins fellow cancer survivor and skater Dorothy Hamill, Kristi Yamaguchi and Nancy Kerrigan as they perform to songs by artists such as Olivia Newton-John (who was also diagnosed with breast cancer), and "American Idol's" David Archuleta and Katherine McPhee.

Hamilton survived a battle with testicular cancer in 1997 and a non-cancerous brain tumor.

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