How Often Should Women Get Mammograms?

• Posted on: May 23 2017
• By: clientadmin

Here at Prime Medical, we are often asked a question by women of various age groups: “How often should women get mammograms?” Advances in Medicine and greater awareness has meant that women are now more knowledgeable about the threat of breast cancer and how timely mammogram screening can help detect this disease early and thus increase their chances of making a complete recovery. It is not surprising to note that more and more women today ask this question. We will do our best to answer it in this blog post.

How Often Should Women Get Mammogram Screening

To answer the question, it is imperative that we first define what is a mammogram screening. It is an x-ray of both breasts to detect the signs or presence of cancer in women with no apparent symptoms. Mammograms can detect tumors that self-examinations fail to detect and also calcifications that may be a symptom of breast cancer. According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), the incidence of death from breast cancer is less in women who have undergone routine mammograms than amongst those who have not. Therefore it’s important to schedule routine screenings.

According to the American Cancer Society, women with average risk of developing breast cancer should undergo screening mammograms every one or two years at age forty and over.

ACS’s recommendations on how often should women get mammograms however, needs a clarification. Women with a higher risk of breast cancer, like those who have a family and/or personal history of the disease or are considered to belong to the high-risk category due to other factors, must consult their physicians about the frequency of undergoing this test.

How You Check Your Breasts Yourself

There is no special technique and you don’t need any training to start checking your breasts. It may feel like you’re unsure what you’re doing but get to know your body and any breast check is better than no breast check.

The easiest and most accurate way is to divide the breasts into four quadrants; the upper outer quadrant, outer lower quadrant, inner lower quadrant and inner upper quadrant. Examine each quadrant with the flat of your hand. It is important to do this regularly so that you are familiar with what each breast feels like normally. That way, should you notice any changes, (hopefully not), you will pick them up straight away and changes won’t go unnoticed. It is important to remember to check your armpits as well. It is surprising how many breast lumps are discovered after an “axillary” or armpit lymph node is found and checked.

Breast Cancer Symptoms to Look Out For:

• a new lump or thickening in your breast, upper chest area or armpit
• a change in size, shape or feel of your breast
• skin changes in the breast such as puckering, dimpling, a rash or redness of the skin
• fluid leaking from the nipple in a woman who isn’t pregnant or breastfeeding
• changes in the position of the nipple
• Unexplained pain in your breast or armpit that’s there all or almost all the time

Summary

If you have questions about mammograms or women’s health in general, feel free to speak with one of women’s health physicians at Prime Medical. We are San Pedro’s easiest healthcare provider with your most frequently needed services all on-site.  We have two locations in San Pedro, simply call (310) 548-0201.

Tagged with: breast cancer, cancer, mammogram, womens health

Posted in: Health, Lifestyle, Womens Health