In an international study involving 500,000 women, researchers concluded for every 2,000 women who had a mammogram, one will have her life prolonged, but ten will undergo unnecessary chemotherapy, radiotherapy and mastectomies. According to Nordic Cochrane Centre researchers, while mammograms do prevent breast cancer death in detecting early-stage breast cancer, it also leads to breast cancer diagnosis in women who would have survived without treatment.

Professor John Toy, medical director of Cancer Research UK, is quoted as saying, "Researchers in the field all agree that breast screening saves lives although they differ in their views about the balance of the pros and cons. Benefits need to be balanced against any disadvantages, as is the case with all medical treatments. Certainly women invited for screening should be made aware of both potential benefits and downsides."

This leaves women in a difficult position. As more women are encouraged to go in for breast cancer screening, more early-stage breast cancer is being discovered. The earlier a cancer is discovered, the better the chances of surviving cancer. That's a given.

However, if they cannot predict how the cancer will behave when found in its earliest stage, or if it will ultimately be life-threatening -- and if, as this study suggests, one woman will be helped while ten women will undergo unnecessary chemotherapy, radiotherapy and mastectomies -- how does a woman decide which treatment or non-treatment path to go down? Chemotherapy, radiotherapy and mastectomies are not simple innocuous treatments.

At this point, I am not certain what we should do with the findings of this study other than be confused, worried and uncertain. What do you think?

Singer and songwriter Jewel sat down with ABC News This Week's George Stephanopoulos to discuss her support of a bill that will allow women to stay in the hospital at least 48 hours after a mastectomy. Called drive-thru mastectomies, the current practice of discharging women hours after surgery does not allow women sufficient time to heal before being released from the hospital.

During the interview Jewel placed the blame on insurance companies and HMOs who have decided that a mastectomy is not major surgery but an outpatient procedure. You have got to be kidding me, what an absurdity.

As Jewel stated, "This certainly isn't a merely feminist issue. This is about the care of our loved ones."

I don't see it as much a feminist issue as simply a matter of compassionate, and in this case, safe health care of mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters. The obnoxious practice of bean counters to decide that any major surgery is an outpatient procedure to save on health care expenses has been going on far too long.

Jewel will travel to Washington to help deliver 12 million signatures to Congress to support a health care bill that requires insurance companies and HMOs to cover the cost of proper care for women undergoing mastectomy. The VOICES: Jewel Lobbies for Breast Cancer Bill interview is available as video for viewing online.