When it comes to breast health, a little attention can go a long way.
It’s no secret that breast cancer is often easier to treat when it is found early, which is why regular mammograms continue to be an important part of your preventive health care. A mammogram can detect changes in breast tissue before you can see or feel them—and, in some cases, cancers can be detected years before they become noticeable.
But good breast health is about more than one screening test. It also means understanding your personal risk, knowing what is normal for your breasts and talking with your Premier Women’s Health provider when something changes.
When should you start getting mammograms?
For women at average risk, current recommendations agree on an important point: breast cancer screening should begin around age 40.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends mammography beginning at age 40 and screening every one to two years, with the timing based on a conversation between you and your healthcare provider. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends mammograms every two years from ages 40 through 74.
Why do recommendations vary somewhat? Screening decisions aren’t necessarily one-size-fits-all. Your age, family history, breast density, previous breast findings, and other risk factors can influence how often you should be screened.
Your provider can help you determine the schedule that makes the most sense for you.
Why mammograms matter
A mammogram is an X-ray designed specifically to look for changes in breast tissue. Most importantly, it can find breast cancer when it is still small and before symptoms develop.
Regular mammography has been shown to reduce the risk of dying from breast cancer. Finding cancer earlier may also mean more treatment options and, in some cases, less extensive treatment. For the latter, it’s the reason to stay consistent with your screenings.
Mammograms aren’t perfect. Sometimes they identify an area that turns out not to be cancer, resulting in additional imaging or testing. Yep, this can be stressful but the peace of mind the extra tests bring can be worth it. Mammograms can also occasionally miss a cancer. Even so, mammography remains our most established screening tool for finding breast cancer early.
What about dense breasts?
You may have noticed information about breast density in your mammogram report. Breast density describes the amount of fibrous and glandular tissue compared with fatty tissue in your breasts.
About half of women age 40 and older have dense breasts. Dense breast tissue can make some cancers harder to see on a mammogram, and having dense breasts is itself associated with a higher risk of developing breast cancer.
Having dense breasts doesn’t automatically mean you need additional screening. Depending on your overall risk, your provider may discuss whether ultrasound, breast MRI or another approach could be appropriate.
Breast health: Know what’s normal for you
Formal monthly breast self-exams are no longer considered necessary for most women at average risk. What does matter is breast self-awareness—having a general sense of how your breasts normally look and feel.
Contact our team if you notice a new lump or thickening, nipple discharge, a change in the size or shape of a breast, skin dimpling or puckering, nipple changes, persistent breast pain or another change that is new for you. Don’t wait for your next scheduled mammogram to have a new concern evaluated.
Your breast cancer risk is personal
Age is an important breast cancer risk factor, but it’s not the only one. Family history of breast or ovarian cancer, certain inherited gene changes such as BRCA1 or BRCA2, previous breast conditions and breast density can also affect your risk.
That’s one reason your annual well-woman visit matters. It’s an opportunity to review your family and personal health history, talk about changes you’ve noticed and make sure your screening plan still fits you.
Don’t put off the mammogram
It’s easy for preventive care to slide down the list when you’re busy—especially when you feel perfectly healthy. But that’s exactly when screening is designed to help.
If you’re due for a mammogram, schedule it. A number of our clinics offer mammography services and we have referral resources for you as well. If you’re not sure when you had your last one or how frequently you should be screened, ask your provider at your annual visit.
Premier Women’s Health Screening Mammogram Centers include:
OBGYN West- Breast Center of Minnetonka
14001 Ridgedale Drive, #200
Minnetonka
Appointments: 952-249-2000
Mammography Screening
Southdale OBGYN—Burnsville
305 E. Nicollet Blvd., #393
Burnsville
Appointments: 952-920-7001
Breast health doesn’t need to be complicated. Know your risk. Pay attention to changes. And make screening part of taking care of you.