Breast Cancer Screening

What is Breast Cancer Screening?

Breast cancer screening is a way in which doctors check the breasts for early signs of cancer in women who have no symptoms of breast cancer. The main test used to screen for breast cancer is a special kind of X-ray known as a mammogram

The goal of breast cancer screening is to find cancer early, before it has a chance to  spread and cause problems. Studies show that being screened for breast cancer lowers the chance that a woman will die of the disease.

Who Should be Screened for Breast Cancer?      

Different experts have different recommendations for breast cancer screening. Also, the recommendations for screening are different for women at higher risk for getting breast cancer. 

Starting at age of 40, it's important to talk to your doctor about the benefits and disadvantages of screening and decide, with your doctor’s help whether to get screening and when

Some women who are at high risk of breast cancer might need to begin screening before age 40. Talk to your doctor to see if you should start screening earlier. For example, you might do this if you are under 40 but have a relative who got breast cancer at a young age, or if you have certain genes that increase your risk of breast cancer (such as "BRCA" genes).

Regular screening with mammograms generally continues until 74 years. Some women choose to continue getting regular mammograms after this if they are healthy and expected to live for at least 10 more years.

What are the benefits of being screened for Breast Cancer?

The main benefit of screening is that it helps doctors find cancer early, when it might be easier to treat. This lowers the chances of dying of breast cancer

What are the disadvantages of being screened for Breast Cancer?

The disadvantages include:

• False positives – Mammograms sometimes give "false positive" results. This means they suggest a woman might have cancer when she does not. This can lead to unneeded worry, anxiety and to more tests – including a biopsy in some cases, which can be painful. (False positive results are more likely to happen in women younger than 50 than they are in older women.)

• Finding cancer that would not have needed treatment – Sometimes, mammograms find cancer that would never have affected the woman's health. This can be a problem because treating these cancers does not have any benefit and can cause harm. For example, a woman might get surgery or chemotherapy to treat a cancer that never would have caused problems if it hadn't been found. There is no way to know which cancers found by screening will lead to problems, and which won't.

• Radiation exposure – Like all X-rays, mammograms expose you to some radiation. But studies show that the number of lives saved by finding cancer early greatly outweighs the very small risks that come from radiation exposure.

What happens if my Mammogram is abnormal?

If your mammogram is abnormal, try not to panic. 90% of  women with an abnormal mammogram turn out not to have breast cancer. You will need more tests to find out what's really going on.

If the doctor thinks your abnormal result is probably not due to cancer, he or she might suggest that you have another mammogram in 6 months. In other cases, more tests might be required. This could be because they need to get a better view of part of your breast, or because they think the abnormal result might be due to cancer. Other tests could include a more detailed mammogram, which involves taking more X-rays to get a better view, or an ultrasound of the breast to check something seen on mammogram. Ultrasound might also be suggested if your mammogram shows very dense breasts that can make a mammogram harder to read.

If these tests show any suspicious findings, your doctor will probably arrange a   biopsy. During a biopsy, a doctor takes a sample of breast tissue and sends it to the lab to be checked for cancer. Biopsies are usually done by taking some tissue from the breast with a special needle during a mammogram or ultrasound.

What if my Mammogram is normal?

Some breast cancers cannot be seen on a mammogram. So, it is possible to still have breast cancer even if your mammogram comes back “normal.” For this reason, while it is reassuring to get a normal test result, it's important to still let your doctor  know right away if you notice a lump in your breast or have any other concerns about your breasts.

Can I do a Breast MRI instead of a Mammogram?

You might have heard about breast MRIs, but they are not for everyone. Compared with mammograms, breast MRIs give more "false positives" and sometimes lead to unneeded biopsies. Still, breast MRIs are sometimes used to help find breast cancer in women who have a high risk of breast cancer. MRIs don't replace mammograms. They are used along with mammograms for screening high-risk women who need them

How often should I do a Screening Mammogram?

It is not clear what the best schedule for screening is. Many experts suggest mammograms every 2 years for most women, while others suggest mammograms every year. Some experts base their recommendation on the woman's age. The schedule for screening might also be different for women who have a high risk of breast cancer. You can talk with your doctor about how often you should have a mammogram based on your risk as well as your preferences.