Importance of Regular Breast Cancer Screenings
Written by Madeline McNeill. She is a Public Health Intern with Going Beyond the Pink and has first-hand experience with her mom being a 2x breast cancer survivor.
Breast cancer is one of the leading types of cancer in females and accounts for nearly 25% of new cancer cases in women. Screenings work to catch abnormalities sooner and when breast cancer is caught early, survival rates increase significantly. According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, “if breast cancer is caught in the beginning stages and before it spreads beyond the breast, the 5-year survival rate for women is 99%.” There are different national agencies that set guidelines for breast cancer screenings and since their recommendations vary, it has caused confusion about who starts screening when. There are several factors that play a role in determining how often and what age you should be getting screened.
Risk Factors for Breast Cancer
Factors you can’t control Factors you can control
Being a female 1. Weight
Aging 2. Diet
Genetic mutations 3. Exercise
Why should you get regular screenings?
As you get older, your risk of developing breast cancer increases. Screening allows doctors to discover any abnormalities before symptoms show up. When caught early, treatment becomes more effective since the size of the tumor is much smaller and smaller, earlier stage tumors are less likely to have spread. Additionally, this results in less treatment and longer disease-free survival.
Although people have concerns about mammograms causing exposures, many screenings have benefits that greatly outweigh any harms. For example, a mammogram exposes you to radiation, however, it is low enough that receiving it once a year shouldn’t be a cause for concern. Johns Hopkins Medicine notes that a mammogram is safe as long as the facility is certified in providing these types of screenings. In addition, we are exposed to low doses of radiation almost everyday, so your body is able to handle small amounts.
Genetic Risk and Screenings
Our knowledge around genetic predispositions and breast cancer is still in its infancy. Right now, we know that fewer than 15% of breast cancer diagnoses are attributed to known genetic variants. We also know that Variants of Unknown Significance (VUS) are identified everyday. As the scientific community continues to research and uncover new information related to genetics and risk for breast cancer, here’s what we know for sure:
It’s important to keep an updated family history about any and all cancer and other chronic diseases in your family. Make sure you can identify how a person is related to you, at what age they were diagnosed, what they were diagnosed with, and whether genetic testing was done and the outcomes of that testing.
Share that information with your primary care physician or OB/GYN. They can help you determine your risk, when you should start screening, what types of screening are recommended and how often.
What are the basic types of screenings?
Breast Self-Assessments - Done on your own to feel for lumps or changes in your breast tissue. It is recommended to complete these assessments at least once a month. Women should begin doing these self-assessments by the time they are 20 years old.
Not sure where to check? Watch this short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R38r9S9nMfY
Clinical Breast Exams - This type of exam is very similar to how the breast self-assessments work. However, it is completed by a doctor or health professional and takes place every year at your annual OB/GYN visit.
Mammograms - These are one of the most common methods of screening for breast cancer. The process involves taking an x-ray of each breast one at a time. Once that is done, radiologists are able to examine the image to look for any abnormalities in the breast tissue. According to the American Cancer Society, if you are at average risk of developing breast cancer, you should begin getting screened at the age of 45.
Screening vs. Diagnostic Mammogram - Screening mammograms are routine exams to check for abnormalities in your breasts. A diagnostic mammogram is ordered if the screening mammogram shows any signs of breast cancer and provides a more detailed image. The same machine is used for both, but a different paddle attachment allows for diagnostic mammograms to provide a closer look and more detailed image.
2D vs. 3D Mammogram - A 2D mammogram takes pictures on the front and side of your breast, showing overlapping layers of breast tissue. On the other hand, a 3D mammogram takes pictures from several different angles, allowing you to see all the layers of breast tissue in a 3D view.
Are there other types of screenings?
Breast Ultrasound - An ultrasound is when a computer creates an image from sound waves. This is done by placing a probe and gel onto the breasts and gently rubbing it around the entirety of the breasts. Women who have a strong family history with breast cancer or have higher breast density will often do an ultrasound in addition to the yearly mammogram.
Breast MRI - The MRI uses radio waves to take several pictures of your breasts. These pictures are then combined on the computer to show a detailed image. An MRI is commonly used to help detect breast cancer in women with breast implants and in younger women who tend to have dense breast tissue. Those with identified genetic mutations that have an increased risk for breast cancer will also have MRIs as part of ongoing screening. Having a breast MRI is beneficial in that it can sometimes pick up lesions that mammograms may miss.
Thermography - With this type of imaging, a camera records the temperature of your breasts by sensing and mapping heat. At this time, thermography is not an accepted practice for screening for breast cancer, but may be useful as a complementary service to monitor changes. People interested in thermography seek independent thermographers for this service. Beacon Thermography is a local option that offers thermal imaging in several locations.