You may not feel lucky, but if you are one of the estimated six out of 1000 women diagnosed with breast cancer based on a screening mammogram, you may well be. The American College of Radiology recommends getting a screening mammogram every year starting at age 40 to catch and treat breast cancer early. Here, Eun Langman, MD, a breast radiologist at Duke Health, explains why regular screening mammograms are so important.
Early Breast Cancer Has No Symptoms
Chances are good that you or someone you know will develop breast cancer. The odds over a lifetime for women in the U.S. are one out of eight -- and the majority have no known risk factors. Routine screening mammograms can detect cancers when they are small, even before they can be found with a breast exam. With current imaging technology, radiologists can look at the breast in three dimensions and detect breast tumors that are smaller than a pencil eraser.
Breast Cancer Treatments Are Most Effective When Cancer Is Caught Early
A small cancer that is caught early is typically easier to treat and has a better outcome than a more advanced cancer which may have spread to other parts of the body. Although some people may be concerned about potential radiation exposure from a mammogram, the benefit of catching breast cancer today -- as opposed to months or years down the road -- is immeasurable. The amount of radiation used for a mammogram is very low and should not be a concern.
Abnormal Results Should Not Immediately Cause Alarm
If you recently had an abnormal screening mammogram result, there is still a 94% chance that you do not have breast cancer, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. During a follow-up exam -- called a diagnostic mammogram -- more detailed images of your breast are taken. Most patients will have normal follow-up exam results. If not, either a biopsy or follow-up imaging will be recommended.
There are two things you can do to avoid a false positive screening mammogram result. First, find a center or clinic that you like and stick with it year after year. Mammograms taken on different machines can look different. It is easier to see changes in breast tissue when comparing two otherwise identical images. Second, if you are going to a new clinic, make sure they know where you went for mammograms in the past. The new center will do the legwork to get the old images. Having older images can help to determine if a finding on the current mammogram is stable and not worrisome versus new and concerning for cancer.
Mammograms Are Not Perfect
Even if you have a normal mammogram result, there is a small chance you might have breast cancer. Dense breast tissue can hide cancers, and certain types of cancers can be hard to see on imaging. Any new clinical symptom such as a palpable lump can be a sign of breast cancer and should be fully evaluated, even if you have had a recent negative screening mammogram. If you have dense breast tissue or are at high risk for breast cancer, you may ask your doctor about supplementary breast cancer screening with breast MRI, contrasted mammography, or ultrasound. While screening mammograms are not perfect, they are the best tool we have for most women and have been proven to save lives by catching cancer early.
