Q: I am fifty years old and I have been reading a lot in the paper about mammograms not being justified.
A: The American Cancer Society, based on a review of current research, advises a mammogram every year beginning at age 40 as part of a three-pronged approach to finding breast cancer as early as possible.
Younger women are advised to have a mammogram at age thirty-five as a base-line. In addition to a mammogram, you should perform a breast self-exam monthly and have a breast exam by your surgeon, if you have had breast cancer, otherwise, by your gynecologist yearly. Some studies have shown evidence that sonograms are also helpful for younger women and older women with firmer breast tissue.
A new study suggests that MRI scans find nearly twice as many tumors as mammograms do. However, they cost a lot more than mammograms and trigger more unneeded biopsies. Women at high risk should talk to their doctor about having an annual MRI.
Fall/Winter 2002
Para solicitar información en español, llame al 1-800-ACS-2345. Un especialista en información sobre el cáncer le asistirá en español..
