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Is it ever too early or too late to get a mammogram? Every woman is different

Is it ever too early or too late to get a mammogram? Every woman is different

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Just like the reasons behind why people have blue eyes, extra sweaty palms or a tendency to develop infections, the danger of developing breast cancer depends on several factors. Genetics, environmental factors and health history can all contribute to your risk of breast cancer. It’s for this reason that mammograms are encouraged for all women over a certain age. However, some women may require mammograms earlier on, while others may not need them until later.

Due to guidelines recently changing on when to get mammograms, let’s take a look at what risk factors exist. If you fall into multiple categories, talk to your doctor about when to get regular mammograms. Otherwise, follow the latest guidelines provided below.

Risk factors for breast cancer

In the past, certain things were thought to cause breast cancer and have since been disproven or are at least thought to be controversial, such as breast implants, antiperspirant and wearing bras. According to www.cancer.org, risk factors fall into a variety of categories:

  • Risk factors you can’t control or change
  • Lifestyle-related risk factors
  • Factors with unclear effects on breast cancer risk
As you read through the following list of accepted risk factors, be sure to identify which ones you can prevent and which ones may just be beyond your scope of control. Here are the established risk factors for breast cancer, according to Breastcancer.org:

1. Being a woman: Approximately 2,000 cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year.

2. Advanced age: Two-thirds of invasive breast cancers are found in women over age 55.

3. Family history: If you have a first-degree female relative who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, your risk automatically doubles.

4. Genetics: Between 5 percent and 10 percent of breast cancers are caused by abnormal genes passed from parent to child.

5. Race/ethnicity: While white women are slightly more likely than other ethnicities to develop breast cancer, African-American women are more likely to develop aggressive and advanced-stage breast cancers.

6. Personal history: Prediagnosis makes you 3-4 times more likely to receive a diagnosis for a new cancer occurrence. In addition, your pregnancy and breastfeeding history also contribute. Women who have their first child after age 30 have a higher risk of developing breast cancer, and those who breastfeed lower their risk of breast cancer as well. Even menstrual history has an effect. Those who menstruate younger than age 12 and over age 55 both have a higher risk of developing breast cancer.

7. Diet and exercise: Being overweight increases your risk of developing breast cancer, particularly after menopause. However, those who exercise a moderate amount between 4-7 hours a week were shown to have a much lower risk. In addition, an unhealthy diet is becoming more of an emerging risk, although established evidence shows that alcohol usage increases women’s risk of certain types of breast cancer.

8. Other lifestyle factors: Smoking is linked to higher risk of breast cancer in younger premenopausal women. Those who use hormone replacement therapy are also at greater risk, according to research since 2002.

While it’s clear that you can control factors like diet and exercise, you cannot control your race, ethnicity, genetics or the fact that everyone gets older. Emerging risks such as chemical exposure in cosmetics, food and elsewhere are something to consider as well, but focus on the above list when talking to your doctor about when to start mammography.

Talk to your doctor

As you read the above risk factors and assess whether they apply to you, begin to form a list of concerns you’d like to discuss with your doctor. Before you can make a decision regarding when to get a mammogram, ask your doctor about the following:

  • Your personal risk of breast cancer
  • Benefits and limitations of mammograms
  • The role of self-breast exams as an important part of the screening process
As you consider all the above information, note that the basic guideline is to start getting mammograms by age 45. A mammogram is also always required if a lump is found, and may be needed more frequently than the given guideline if you are at high risk.

In the end, mammograms have the potential to provide early detection of breast cancer, and that’s a good thing. For easy scheduling and an experienced team of medical professionals, call (801) 350-4451 or visit www.saltlakemammo.com to schedule an appointment today.

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Brandview
Salt Lake Regional Medical Center

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