Dispelling many of the myths about mammograms
Before the end of 2023, it is estimated more than 279,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women; about 43,000 women will die from breast cancer. These statistics from the American Cancer Society have prompted hospitals’ mammography technologists to expose five misconceptions about mammography.
Myth – I don’t have any symptoms of breast cancer and it does not run in my family, so I don’t need a mammogram.
Truth – Only 15 percent of women with a breast can-cer diagnosis have a family member who has a history of breast cancer. The American College of Radiology says if you wait to have a mammogram until you have symptoms, such as a lump or discharge, the cancer may be more advanced and harder to treat.
Myth – If you had a normal mammogram last year, you don’t need another one this year.
Truth – Mammography is detection, not prevention. One normal mammogram doesn’t guarantee cancerous cells haven’t formed in the breast tissue over the course of the year. Annual screenings will help find cancer when it’s small and less invasive treatments may be possible.
Myth – A mammogram is painful. Truth – While a mammogram may be mildly uncomfortable for some women, because of the compression of breast tissue, the discomfort is brief and tolerable.
Myth – Mammograms can cause breast cancer. Truth – Mammograms use a low dose of radiation, and the risk of radiation-induced breast cancer from a mammogram is extremely low and outweighed greatly by the benefits of early detection.
Myth – My doctor didn’t say I need a mammogram, so I don’t need to schedule one.
Truth – Women can make an appointment for a mammogram without a doctor’s referral. It’s always best to talk with your doctor about which mammogram is right for you and the appropriate timing for screening mammograms, especially women at high-risk. A mammogram schedule will be based upon each woman’s individual health. At age 40, women should have a screening mammogram and continue to have one at least every other year.
