Mammograms and Early Detection for Breast Cancer

Watch Oprah tomorrow (Tuesday). Her guest is Christina Applegate and the entire show is dedicated to breast cancer detection and treatment. She's having medical professionals on the show that will discuss early detection, etc.

I was just at my OBGYN and asked this question. you should do self exams every month, like the first of every month, then you don't forget. Unless you have a family history of it, you don't start till age 40, if you do have a history, you start at 35 or earlier.

http://www.breastthermography.com/

Doctor's recommend getting mammograms at age 40. Self breast exams should be done monthly and personally I think should begin as early as 20. Performing the self breast exam at the same time each month. Breast feeding has been known to be a good prevention against breast cancer.

Having a good diet including: fresh fruits and veggies, lean meats, pure water (reverse osmosis), exercise, and a pure source of protein (soy protein is great and it should be a non-GMO) is always an added prevention. The key is prevention! These things are great prevention against heart disease as well.

M.

I know, I have 2 friend just recently diagnosed one just had her first baby and had chemo during her 3rd trimester at the age of 27! And the other is 37! I work in the medical field too, and with insurance companies you don't get your 1st mammogram until 35-40 unless you have a lump that you feel and that's followed up with your doctor. Even then they might only do an Ultrasound and not a mammogram. You should be doing self breast exams until then. That is how my 2 friends found them.

I do self examinations every month. My family is at high risk for abnormal mammograms (only 1 or 2 actually with breast cancer though) so I suspect when I go in for my yearly check that my doctor will start doing mammograms soon - and I'm only 31. I had a cousin who is in her late 30's get breast cancer while pregnant! The next time you are at your doctors office, ask them to explain how to do the self examination, as it is hard to explain in print.

Just wanted to reinforce the "early detection" and importance of self-exams. 9 years ago today I was dignaosed with breast cancer, detected by mammogram. I was 44 and had no family history, but had been having regular mammograms since age 35. I believe that October is breast cancer awareness month and many places offer free or minimally expensive mammograms. Check out nbcam.org

Check with your doctor it depends on family history. I have no history and mine started last year when I turned 35.

no you cannot get a mamogram while breastfeeding. I was diagnosed with breast cancer while breastfeeding but it was through an ultrasound. If you feel a lump, go to the doctor and have it checked out. Your doctor should give you an exam at your annual exam anyway.

Every doctor will have their own opinion. However, when I was 31 years old and at the obgyn for my annual exam in Oct one year everything was great. In Feb I found a lump. It turned out to be a very aggressive form of breast cancer and was stage 2 by the time I found it. I have no family history, no risk factors, nothing to explain why this would have happended to me at such a young age. I found the lump doing a self breast exam. I have met women in their 20's with breast cancer. I don't feel there is a magical age to start mammograms but I do believe a monthly self breast exam is a must as early as your 20's. If you can talk your doctor into doing a mamogram at a whatever age you are now and at least have a baseline for future mammograms than definitly do that. A lot has to do with insurance companies and doctors willing to do them before the age of 35-40. Put your health in your hands and be proactive. If I didn't do that I have no doubts that by the time I went for my next exam the following Oct that I would have been at a stage 4 or worse. Good luck.

I'm a young mom too and just found a lump over the summer. So I just went through all of this testing very recently. Actually, for people under 30 they prefer to do an ultra sound first because our breast tissue is so dense and they can get a better reading. Thankfully my ultrasound came back fine but they did tell me if they felt it was necessary, they would have followed up with a mammogram. So they don't rule them out entirely. They also told me that someone with a family history of breast cancer should do a self breast exam once a week and keep up with their annual exams with their ob/gyn. Someone (like myself) who doesn't have a history should do a self exam about 1 per month and follow up with their annual exams as well. Also, I'm not breastfeeding but am still lactating and they told me that it doesn't affect the outcome of the test or exam. Just make sure to let someone know if you notice any discharge besides your breast milk. Feel free to let me know if you have any other questions! Hope this helps!

I was told by Beaumont and my doctor to wait 6 months after I had stopped breastfeeding to get a mammogram (if you felt a lump, I'm sure they would do one anyway). I had a mammogram at 35 because of a family history. Otherwise, I believe they start at 40. I would call your insurance to see at what age they cover the cost.

My mom had breast cancer when she was 45, had a mastectomy, and lived for 21 years after that. A couple years ago while I was still nursing my son (he was about 6 months old), I felt a little lump during a self exam that didn't seem to change after I nursed him. With my mom's history, I don't mess around, so I got a mammogram. You can have a mammogram while nursing, it's just a little messy! They also did an ultrasound and decided it was just a cyst. I felt kind of dumb but the doc told me that getting it checked out was the right thing to do. They usually don't do mammograms until you're 35 because the breast tissue is quite dense when you're younger.

Hi Loziermusic L---I think that one of the reasons we hear about younger and younger women being diagnosed has to do with preventive screenings. Having said that, I work with a doctor who is radiation oncologist in St. Louis. She said that while in medical school, breast cancer was pretty much found only in women 60 years of age or older. Now she is seeing teenagers with breast cancer. It's just not right.

First, to respond to your question. I've heard lots of good things about thermography. Check it out. In fact, I don't think I'll ever have a mammogram again, too much exposure to radiation, too many false positives and it doesn't find cancer as early as thermography. Thermography is not yet covered by insurance, but it isn't very expensive, I think I was told it was around $100.

I'd also like to suggest that if the thought of acquiring breast cancer scares you into having a mammogram, you might want to consider looking at diet and lifestyle habits, which research shows has the biggest impact on prevention of disease. I am studying to be a certified wellness educator and I have a number of files and references to articles that you may find useful in the prevention of breast cancer, as well as any other disease you might want to name.

Breast cancer is extremely sensitive to excess hormones in the body, particularly estrogen. Many of the processed foods we eat, as well as plastics and other toxins in our environment, mimic estrogen in the body. To protect yourself, you want to make sure you eat a diet composed primarily of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. Minimize animal protein consumption, and it is best to eliminate cows milk (www.strongbones.org). This way, you will get lots of antioxidants as well as fiber. The antioxidants in fruits and veggies will strengthen the immune system (fight cancer cells that try to organize in the body) and they will also help to protect and repair DNA that has been exposed to toxins or has a genetic predisposition to a disease, before the DNA has a chance to mutate and cause disease. Fiber will remove excess hormones and cholesterol from the bloodstream.

These are just a few of the health strategies that I've been learning. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like more information.

In health, D. ###-###-####

According to most physicians it is advised to get a mammogram at age 40. However, if you have family history or if you feel a lump in your breast while doing a breast exam I would contact my OBGyn. With the increase of young women being diagnois with breast cancer I would discuss this with my physician. P.S. I exam my breast once per week.

I have always been told self-breast exams should be done consistently (monthly) as you are going to notice a change.

Something else to consider: Deodorant. This blocks the womans lymph nodes (this is waste trying to get out of the body and the chemicals in deodorant is keeping it in!). Either use just Antiperspirant or get Natural Deodorant... Lush has some great ones to use (this is where I get mine and they work great when I get too toasty and control odor perfectly.).

I'm 36 and had a mammogram a few months ago. My mom had breast cancer last year so that made me high risk. Most insurance won't cover it without risk factors until 40, at least that is what the imaging center told me. It only takes a few minutes and doesn't hurt at all. I'm not sure about the BF question.

You should do the exam monthly. Your doctor should preform an exam during your yearly pap smear...if you haven't had that make an appointment(your ob/gyn can show you the proper way to do self exams). Cervical cancer is one of the most deadly forms of cancer because so many of us skip that appointment! We have to take care of the "down there" just as well as the "girls"!

The most important thing is early detection! My mom's cancer was found in June 2007 on her mammogram, the lump wasn't there the year before. If she'd decided to skip last year it could have been really bad. She is now cancer free. It wasn't an easy road but it could have been much worse.

Good Luck!

Sure we can give you all the advice you need but all these questions you really should talk to your OB or GP and they will help you with all of these answers. :) Good luck.

base line mammogram at 35
yearly mammograms at 40
self breast exam EVERY month at the SAME TIME OF THE MONTH
(your breasts can change firmness at different times of your cycle so if you exam at the same time of the month they should feel the same)

and don't forget about inflamatory bc so if you even FEEL like something is wrong,lump or not, GO TO A DR. better to be embarrased cause it's nothing than dead

Hi there.. I too am hearing more and more young woman getting breastcancer. I am 3-0 and have asked my doctor numerous times what age I should start. she told me 35, although I did end up having to get one recently (it was nothing in the endI am not sure about the breastfeeding part. I just know that they squish the heck out of you when then perform the mamogram. Sorry my answer didn't really help. Self exams should be done often (once a month, you can do this while you shower). http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/self_exam/bs...

My advise is that its never too early to start these screenings! My 32 yr old sister (with NO FAMILY history or risk factors) just last week was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. It is a rapidly growing cancer and came out of no where. It never hurts to check these things out, cancer can strike anyone!

Hi Loziermuusic ~
I agree with the other writers. You do a monthly self-breast exam. The same time every month. You start mammograms when you're 40. However, if there is a family history, or you feel a lump, your physician will order a mammogram. Your physician can show you how to do a self-breast exam. Basically, you start at the outermost edge of breast tissue, if checking the right side, put your right arm over your head. keep your left hand on the breast, never lift your fingers, use your 3 fingers of the left hand, go in small circles and circle the breast. make the next circle smaller, etc. all the way to the nipple. at the nipple squeeze to make sure nothing comes out (for you it will right now). Remember to never lift your fingers. Then you repeat the process on the other side. You'll get to know what is normal for your breasts - if you normally have some fibrous tissue, the breasts are lumpy, you'll be able to tell if something is different.

I work with someone who was positive at 35 yrs old. She had been having mammograms occassionally due to fibrous tissue in the breasts. But she found a lump that was different.

Hope that helps.
D.

First, if you are breastfeeding, you are doing the VERY best thing you can do to protect yourself from breast cancer. There are studies out there proving that women who breastfeed their babies for a year or longer have an incredibly lower rate of breast cancer. There are also studies showing that mammograms can contribute to innocent cysts and tumors turning into cancer. Go online and type in "dangers of mammograms" and alot of info about this will come up. There are other ways to detect breast cancer without exposing yourself to the radiation and the squish factor. For starters, talk with your doctor about self exams, breastfeed your babies for as long as possible and read, read, read...so you can make an educated decision for yourself.

My niece is a breast cancer survivor - she was diagnosed at age 27 & is all about self-examinations! It's suggested that you do self-breast exams at least once a month & there are 2 basic positions to do them - standing up & laying down. A doctor's office or pharmacy can provide you with a card that hangs in your shower & provides explicit instructions. It is also a very good idea to have your spouse become familiar with your breasts -there is a huge number of lumps found by spouses during intimacy. In fact, I found a lump just after my 2nd child was born - turned out to be a mass in my lymph nodes but amounted to nothing, thankfully - but the scare was there all the same. As a result, I have had my first mammogram at age 38. Typically, age 40 is when they suggest to start having them - and in fact, most doctors won't even send you before said age. Always think positive & good luck. And btw, if there is a history of breast cancer on your mother's side, push for that mammogram sooner!

Yes, I agree with you. Young Mom's receiving breast cancer diagnosis is scary.
One thought to consider when asking if you can get a mammogram while breastfeeding - of course you "can" get one. Any facility would take your money for this test regardless of breastfeeding. I think any nursing Mother would do well to ask herself, "Is it in my babies best interest to give them breast milk with radiation in it?" Hmmm... After that question gets asked, I hope the answer becomes more obvious.
Perhaps if young women are concerned about the diagnosis of breast cancer, they might consider not putting radiation (which causes cancer) in their breasts.
A different diagnostic test exists that doesn't get as much "press time". It is called thermoscan - which uses heat as a method of detection.
You can get more information on the internet.
I hope this helps.

C.,

I've done self-exams every month RELIGIOUSLY since I was 16 years old. I am now 52 and just went through DCIS cancer of my right breast. I never felt anything (and I wouldn't have either because this form is totally contained INSIDE the mammary duct, hence the mammo was the only source to catch it). Because my radiologist saw something different in last year's films, as compared to that of 2006, my cancer was caught VERY EARLY and at *not even* stage 1! Thank the higher power above for that one, along with trained professionals and great technology!

Unless you've got a known history of breast cancer, or ANY cancer, in your immediate family, the best recourse is to be religious and adamant about your self-exams every month at the same time. Most doctors will tell you that unless the above is true, you should have a base-line mammogram at age 40 and then one every two years until you turn 50. Which is exactly what I did. Because I'm an adopted child from birth, my own mother was zealous about me taking the best care of my health that was possible, so I've been fortunate along that route.

If you're so concerned about your breast health, talk to your own general phsycian AND ob/gyn after you've stopped breast feeding. Unless, (of course as someone stated previously) you feel something *different* than what you've felt previously. And remember, the structure of your breasts is different while lactating than of breasts that aren't. So it's not unusual to feel something you might not have felt before. But, if it really concerns you, then contact your doctors. They are your best source of information and guidance through this process. The web's a great tool also, but can only give you facts and general information - nothing takes the place of a doctor's guidance and advice.

Good luck!

N.
Okemos

Its never to early to have one. A co-worker/friend of mine, whos daughter was only 26, had breast cancer. She was a new mom with a 6 month old son whom she was breast feeding at the time. Her doctor said it was mastitis (sp), and it turned out to be cancer. Like I said, she was only 26. Her family had no history of breast cancer at all. So you can't use that either. Its something you never want to mess with. Self exams should be done all the time, I do them weekly, just a good habit to be in, plus I do get cysts, so they need to be checked out. I get a mam yearly and ultrasound every six months because of them.

Make sure to do self-exams every month! Unless you have a family history of breast cancer, they don't start with annual mammograms until age 40. I don't think most insurance companies will pay before the age of 40 unless there is a family history. Also, don't skip your annual ob/gyn exams! Most doctors' offices have cards to hang in your shower that show you how to do a self-exam. Also, your doctor will show you if you ask.

I'm sure you'll get lots of replies with advise, but you should ask your doctor. Make your next visit be a list of questions.

You might be hearing more about young women w breast cancer just because it is unusual and devastating. Especially around this time of year because October is breast cancer awareness month. You should ask your doctor about when it is right for you to get a mammogram. For a women that are not high risk, 40 is the age mammograms should be scheduled yearly. It is recommended that you do monthly self exams before then. The American Cancer Society has a website w a ton of info: www.cancer.org