Cancer Screening: Mammogram

Hi all,

Following on from yesterday’s post I thought I would look into breast screening and what’s involved. I have researched mammograms and I hope you find this post interesting. If anyone has had a mammogram and would like to share their experience, please do let me know, I would love to share your story.

The NHS Breast Screening Programme means women aged between fifty and seventy are invited for breast screening every three years in the UK. Each country within the UK has their own guidelines and screening programme but the age limits in the UK have been extended to cover women between forty seven and seventy seven whilst Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have stuck with the original age guidelines.

The aim of the programme is to discover breast cancer at an early stage to give sufferers a much better chance of survival. As I mention a lot – CANCER IS EASIER TO TREAT THE EARLIER IT IS DIAGNOSED.

Women at high risk of developing breast cancer or women that have discovered lumps or breast changes may also be invited to take part in the screening programme.

What is a Mammogram?

A mammogram is an x-ray of breast tissue and is used to identify early breast cancer. You have to remove all clothing on your upper body, including your bra to have a mammogram and are positioned so that both breasts are x-rayed individually. This means your breasts are gently squashed with a clear, flat plastic plate. This means you can get a clear picture whilst having a minimal amount of radiation. It can be uncomfortable but it doesn’t take very long. Most radiographers aim for two mammograms, at different angles, for both breasts.

A new technique is currently being introduced. This is known as digital mammogram and this uses computer imaging. This new technique has been shown to be better at picking up breast cancer in younger women and those with denser breast tissue.

Some Important Facts about Mammograms:

*Mammograms do not prevent cancer but they can discover a cancer that has already developed.

*Mammograms can be uncomfortable but this does not usually last long. Some women may be a little sore afterwards

*Mammograms involve x-rays which mean you will be exposed to a small amount of radiation, although it is not likely to be a harmful amount and as you only need a mammogram every three years it is unlikely to have a large effect in the long run.

*Can sometimes produce false positives which can cause a huge amount of unnecessary worry. Sometimes mammograms pick up on an abnormal area in the breast which later proves to be non cancerous.

*Occasionally mammograms need to be repeated due to blurry images, equipment failure or parts of the breast being missed by the original images.

*Mammograms are the most effective way of detecting early breast cancer but it is not 100% accurate at all times. Sometimes cancers are too small to be detected on a mammogram or the person reading it may miss a cancer, although this risk is reduced by having at least two people check the mammogram

*Women taking part of the programme may still develop breast cancer between mammograms. This is called interval cancer and the patient will have a mammogram done at the time of diagnosis so it can be compared to previous ones to notice any patterns. It is important to note that cure rates for women with interval cancer are a lot better then those for women that have never had screening.

Breast screening is hugely important, especially for women in the age group mentioned above as well as those at high risk of developing breast cancer. If you receive an invitation for a mammogram then please do have one! If you are worried about it then you should talk to your GP or nurse as soon as you can. A mammogram can save your life!

xxx