Has anyone opted not to have their routine yearly mammogram?
I have been reading posts from here and newspaper articles about mammograms failing to pick up so many cancers.
I had lobular BC and at Dx about 6 mammogram pics at different angles. the ultra sound wasn’t that accurate either with the sizing of tumour.
I have asked for an MRI but was told they only did those if there was a definate lump, absolutely ridiculous as its often too late then, the lump has grown and cancer spread by the time people can feel it.
I just dont know what to do about mammogram which is on FRI. Or who to contact to discuss this.
Does anyone know if there is definate evidence that mammograms and the radiation can cause BC.
I am not an expert but the radiation from a mammogram is very low - about the same as you would get from the environment in three months, so in that case, the benefits outweight the harm and I would imagine that you would need an awful lot of mammograms to risk them causing cancer. Also, as you have already had BC, your risk is higher than the average woman, so another good reason for screeing There is a lot of discussions about the benefit of mammograms as routine screening in the general public as they are more likely to not detect cancer in certain women - those under 40 or those with dense breast tissue etc, but for someone who has had cancer, I would say that it would be beneficial. I may be entirely wrong, so please don’t quote me, but I was under the impression that a mammogram was as good as a MRI in older women (over 50) in detecting anomalies in the breast and MRI would only then be used if they suspected cancer had spread outside the breast. I guess it depends very much on your age and the type of cancer you have. I have put a link to the Royal College of Radiologists’ Breast Group which may help to answer your questions in the meantime -
Good luck with whatever you chose
I was diagnosed with invasive lobular cancer this Feb, also not picked up with mammogram or ultra sound.I had a biopsy which gave my diagnosis. When I was told I would have a mammogram every year I asked what was the point but the bcn said it could pick up a different cancer.
I had a MRI scan before my operation to see if the other breast had lobular cancer and how much was in my affected breast. On this information I wanted/had to have a mastectomy as there was a lot more going on than first thought.
I’ m in two minds to ask for a mri scan of remaining breast or even pay for one, even though it was ok.
Lyn x
I’ve not had any mammograms since I was being tested for breast cancer, as those didn’t show up breast cancer. I am still pre-menopausal and have very pert bosoms which I assume are full of dense tissue so can’t see any point in having them- especially as in my case they are very painful. Woopie, no mammograms for five years since 2003
Hi Liverbird, i dont know how old you are which obviouls ymakes a difference… My surgeon who i have complete faith in told me it was vitaly important to have an anual mamo.
Just because it didnt pick up on one cancer doesnt mean it wouldnt pick up another.
Where i go they automatical give you an ultrasound after so even more reasurance.
I am sure you would get more radiation from hopping onto Ryanair so dont worry about that.
It doesnt hurt (not much anyway) and its quick - what have you got to loose.
A mammo picked up my cancer when I’d failed to find it myself, despite smugly considering myself “breast aware”. Didn’t show up on ultrasound at the time, either - was told it was most likely a degenerated cyst.
So it was the mammo followed by 2 core biopsies which revealed the 1.7cm Grade 3 demon skulking behind my right nipple. Sure, it’s an uncomfortable process, but that’s all it is and if it helps detect trouble then it’s worth it.
Writing this in an attempt to convince any other doubters out there!
My cancer was picked up by mammo - it was only 4mm when removed and you could nt feel it even when you knew where it was. I will go for al my mammos for the next 10 years
Hi, I had mammo in Jan o8 which didn’t pick anything up I got the all clear, in May I had breast cancer which I found myself, after this was found had another mammo which still didn’t show it up, despite now having mastectomy I will still go for future mammo’s on remaining breast. After going through chemo etc I am not going to give it chance to carry on and will go for whatever it takes to hopefully keep it at bay. Take care all junieliz
One of the breast care nurses told me that the radiation in a mammogram is about twice that as for a chest x-ray and inferred that it was dangerous to have too many mammograms. I don’t know whether this is true or not though.
Mammogram did not detect the three cancers I had in my right breast. I had a clear one 9 months previous to my finding a small, smooth, mobile lump high in my armpit. Biopsy showed it was a lymph gland containing cancer cells (IDC). Two more mammos and a CT scan could still not detect the primary so I then had an MRI scan that did find the three small tumours.
I was 57 then (now 58), and although I did attend for my annual mammogram, I have very little faith in the result!
My routine mammogram picked up a 7mm tumour which they told me would have taken 8 years to grow big enough for me to have felt it as a lump. So I think I was very lucky that they found it as I only needed small surgery (WLE) and radiotherapy. I am 64, and I know that younger womens tumours often don’t show on mammos but for women over 50 I think they are vital. If mine had been left it could easily have spread to lymph nodes (which it hadn’t) and it might have been difficult to get clear margins (which it wasn’t). It was grade 2/3 so I’m very pleased it has been removed.