What is it?

Mammography is a low dose X-ray that is used to take images of the breasts. Doctors use it to help detect and diagnose breast disease in women. Mammography can find changes in the breast up to two years before you or your physician can feel them. This means that breast cancer may be found in an earlier, more treatable stage. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends biennial screening mammography for women aged 50 to 74 years. According to the American Cancer Society, women in their 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam at least once every three years and beginning at age 40, women should have a clinical breast exam and screening mammogram every year. Ultimately, women should talk to their doctor and make an informed decision about whether mammography is right for them based on their family history, general health, and personal values.

How do I prepare?

The best time to schedule your mammogram is for the week following your period. This is because your period may cause your breasts to be more sensitive and tender than usual.

If there’s a possibility that you are pregnant, your doctor or the technologist must be informed prior to the test being conducted. Other preparations that you should make are:

• Do not wear deodorant, powder or lotion under your arms or on your breasts. They can appear on your mammogram as calcium spots.
• Tell your doctor and the technologist of any breast symptoms or problems that you have been experiencing.
• If you had any mammograms at other facilities, bring copies of the films with you so that the radiologist can compare the results.
• You will be asked to remove all jewelry and clothing above the waist before the exam. A gown or loose fitting material that opens in the front will be provided.

How is the procedure performed?

You will stand in front of the X-ray machine, and the technologist will place your breast between two plastic/plexiglass plates. The plates press your breast as flat as possible for clear images to be taken. This compression will cause you to feel pressure on the breast. Let your technologist know if you are experiencing significant discomfort so the compression can be lessened.

The technologist will position your body and arm in a way that will help the images come out as clear as possible. The technologist will then go behind a glass shield to take the images. You will be asked to change positions slightly between images.

A screening mammogram takes views of both breasts and usually takes about 30 minutes. You will be asked to wait while the technologist views the images to see if more are needed.

Advances in mammography

Some facilities offer digital mammography for their patients. This technology works like digital photography in that images are generated and stored on a computer. A digital mammogram still requires compression of the breast tissue just like a film version.

Another advance in mammography is computer-aided detection (CAD). This system takes the digitized image of the breast and uses special software to look for problem areas such as calcification, masses or areas that are denser than surrounding tissue. When detected, the computer will then highlight that area so that the radiologist can take a closer look.

CANCER FACTS

Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths among women.  An estimated 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer among women are forecast this year. Approximately 40,170 women will die from the disease.

What you should know about breast cancer:

• The two most significant risk factors for breast cancer are being female and getting older.
• Mammography offers the most effective method of early detection of breast cancer.
• While rare, younger women can develop breast cancer.  However, women ages 20 to 24 years of age have an incidence rate of only 1.4 cases per 100,000 people compared to 441.9 cases per 100,000 people by ages 75 to 79 years of age.
• The odds that a woman will get breast cancer during her lifetime is one in eight. 
• Although breast cancer incidence is lower among African American women, they have a higher breast cancer death rate than Caucasian women and are more likely to develop breast cancer before age 40.
• Asian American and Pacific Islander women have lower incidence and mortality rates for breast cancer than Caucasian and African American women. 
• African American women who are diagnosed with breast cancer are less likely than Caucasian women to survive five years (78 percent versus 90 percent). Researchers believe that this difference is due to African American women being diagnosed at a later stage. Additionally, African American women may have more aggressive tumors.
• Breast cancer in men is rare, but it does happen.  In 2009, an estimated 1,910 men were diagnosed with breast cancer and 440 died from it. Men are more likely than women to be diagnosed with later stages of breast cancer.
• While many women with breast cancer have no family history of the disease, a woman whose mother, sister or daughter has a history of breast cancer is generally at increased risk.
• Many women diagnosed with breast cancer have no known risk factors outside of their gender.
• Breastfeeding may decrease a woman’s risk of getting premenopausal breast cancer.
• There is no way to absolutely prevent breast cancer. In certain situations, the drugs tamoxifen and raloxifene may be used to reduce the risk. These drugs primarily are used for women who are at increased risk of developing breast cancer.
• Women can practice overall preventive health measures to help decrease the risk of breast cancer. These include maintaining a healthy weight, engaging in regular exercise and limiting alcohol consumption.
• Obesity increases the risk of breast cancer after a woman begins menopause. One study showed that women who gained 55 pounds or more after age 18 had a 50 percent greater risk of developing breast cancer than those who maintained their weight. A weight gain of 22 pounds or more increased the risk by 18 percent. Losing weight may reduce the risk of breast cancer. The study indicated that losing at least 22 pounds or maintaining a healthy weight resulted in a 57 percent lower risk of breast cancer.
• Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which is a combination of estrogen and progestin, may increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer. Women should discuss with their doctors whether HRT is right for them. HRT should be prescribed at the lowest possible dose and for the shortest amount of time to reduce the risk of breast cancer.
• In its early, more treatable stages, breast cancer exhibits few symptoms. When the tumor is large enough to be felt, a woman may only find a painless lump or swelling. While less common, breast cancer may cause these symptoms: breast pain or heaviness; persistent breast changes like swelling, thickening, or redness; or nipple abnormalities like spontaneous discharge, erosion, inversion or tenderness. These symptoms should be evaluated by a physician as soon as possible.

 For more information about this screening please call (562)602-6810