Breast cancer remains the leading type of cancer, and the only solution is to get mammograms. Over the years, there has been advocacy for people to start going for breast screening. It is recommended at least once a year.
Here I’ll share with you about mammograms and the reasons why do women need to do yearly mammograms. In addition, I’ll also share with you where to get the mammograms.
What is a mammogram?
Mammograms are x-rayed images of the breast that are taken. An annual mammogram is performed on women who do not appear to be suffering from any symptoms or signs of breast cancer to screening for the disease. In the medical field, this type of mammogram is referred to as a screening mammogram.
Typically, two or more x-ray photos, or images, of each breast are taken during a mammogram screening procedure. Malignancies that are not visible to the naked eye can frequently be detected using X-ray images. In addition, microcalcifications (small calcium deposits) found on screening mammography can occasionally be indicative of the presence of breast cancer and should be investigated further.
Mammograms can also be used to check for breast cancer if a lump or other symptom or symptom is discovered. This particular type of mammogram is referred to as diagnostic mammography.
As well as the presence of a lump, breast cancer symptoms can include soreness in the breasts, increased thickness of the breast skin, nipple discharge, and changes in breast size or shape. These symptoms can also be indicative of other illnesses, such as the flu or a cold.
Additionally, diagnostic mammography can be used to examine alterations discovered during a screening mammogram or to visualize breast tissue in situations where getting a screening mammogram is difficult due to various factors, such as the presence of breast implants.
Why do women need to do yearly mammograms?
For a variety of reasons, it is recommended that women get their mammograms every year at the very least. These reasons should serve as an incentive for you, as a woman, to begin having a mammogram once a year as soon as possible.
Mammograms detect breast cancer at an early stage when it is most treatable.
A yearly mammogram is the most effective way to ensure that a breast tumor is detected as soon as possible. And this is important because early detection of breast cancer significantly improves a woman’s prognosis in the long run.
This is due to the fact that detecting breast cancer early through mammography increases the likelihood of a woman preserving her breast. In addition, the lumpectomy, a small surgical procedure that removes only the tumor and some radiation to ensure that the tumor does not return, maybe an option for a woman diagnosed with breast cancer early. However, if a tumor is not discovered until it has grown in size, chemotherapy and a mastectomy, which involves removing the entire breast, may be required.
Mammogram is life-saving
That is all there is to it. The research results show that women who begin yearly mammograms at the age of 40 (or younger if she is at higher risk) have a nearly 40% lower risk of dying from breast cancer than women who do not.
When it comes to breast cancer, the point I always try to make is that a screening mammogram is the only imaging modality that has been shown to save lives in a statistically significant way. A patient will not benefit from an ultrasound alone, and the patient may miss the opportunity to be diagnosed with cancer.”
A 3D mammogram is a new advancement in mammogram technology introduced recently (or breast tomosynthesis). Compared to 2D mammograms, 3D mammograms can detect more cancers and reduce the likelihood of unnecessary re-imaging due to false positives.
As a result, all women should choose a 3D mammogram over a traditional 2D mammogram because the radiation dose is the same, and the experience is the same for the woman. Still, it provides the radiologist with significantly more information about the woman’s breasts.
Helps detect cancer from breast tissues no matter how small
Mammogram technology has advanced to 3D technology. When used in conjunction with less intrusive diagnostics, it allows us to detect breast cancer earlier when it is smaller and easier to treat. Furthermore, it has been discovered that 3D mammography is more beneficial in young women who have thick breasts than conventional mammography.
Early detection of malignancies, such as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a type of cancer limited to the milk ducts, allows patients to control their treatment choices.
Clinical trials are being conducted to determine whether imaging can track the progression of ductal carcinoma in situ and determine if it changes or expands over time.
Women diagnosed with cancer early have the opportunity to choose from a variety of treatment options and determine which one best suits their beliefs and objectives.
Making care decisions should take the patient’s personal and cultural preferences into consideration, as well as her lifestyle factors and the urgency of her condition, before making a decision.
Those who are opposed to the use of 3D mammography believe that the discovery of some indolent-type ductal carcinoma in situ can lead to overtreatments, such as the removal or other management of cancer that may never spread or grow.
As an alternative to decrying mammography tests for early cancer detection, doctors should inform patients that conservative treatment options are available for them. Patients have a right to know if they have early breast cancer to make informed decisions about their treatment.
As an insufficient modern outcome metric for breast cancer screening, a five-year or longer survival rate is possible due to inadequate modern outcome measures.
Breast cancer detected early by mammography has a high five-year survival rate when detected early. However, a small malignancy detected using 3D mammography allows women to plan for more than just “survival” over the next five years due to early detection.
Help save money, time, and discomfort.
For several patients and providers, the costs of 3D mammography outweigh the risks they perceive to be involved. In addition, a 3D mammogram center is typically covered by insurance, so the patient incurs no out-of-pocket expenses.
There is no doubt that patients who receive 3D imaging will spend less money on additional diagnostic mammograms because there will be fewer recalls. In addition, they will save time by not having to commute to and from the doctor’s office for follow-up appointments.
The majority of these requested patients are likely to forego diagnostic mammograms and instead undergo ultrasound instead because 3D mammograms already contain the image functionality that we are looking to evaluate. Thus, 3D patients who have been recalled may be exposed to less radiation than 2D patients due to the recall.
Conclusion
Preventing breast cancer by staying on top of your breast imaging screening is the most effective prevention method. In accordance with the American Cancer Society’s recommendations, women at average risk of breast cancer should begin having annual mammograms when they are 45.
Women between the ages of 40 and 44 can begin having mammograms once a year if they choose if they are 40 or 44. After that, women can begin screening every two years starting at the age of 55, with the option to continue screening annually if they wish to do so.
If you are looking where to get mammograms at Luma Centre, you will be presented with a screen and your results immediately afterward. The clinic provides the most effective mammogram services in Singapore. In addition, you can rest assured that even if cancer cells are discovered, you will be informed of the next steps to take to receive treatment from the best doctors in Singapore.