Breast cancer screening

In Alberta one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime. Breast cancer screening is the best way to find cancer early and it can truly save your life. Screening is effective because abnormalities or cancer can develop long before you notice any symptoms. Screening mammograms can detect these abnormalities early, when treatment has the best chance of working.

Just because no one in your family has had breast cancer doesn’t mean you’re not at risk. In fact, 80% of women who develop breast cancer have no family history at all. And you don’t need to be experiencing any unusual symptoms in your breasts to need a mammogram.

A mammogram is an x-ray of the breasts that can find abnormal changes that may be too small for you or your healthcare provider to feel. They’re the most accurate way we have of detecting breast cancer early, when treatment has the best chance of working.

There are actually two kinds of mammograms. Screening mammograms are routine checks used with women who are not experiencing any problems or symptoms with their breasts. Diagnostic mammograms provide more detailed images of any changes in the breast found during a screening mammogram; they’re also used for women with a history or symptoms of breast cancer.

If you’re between the ages of 50 and 74, you’re at an age when it’s important to consider having mammograms regularly. This is because the risk of breast cancer increases as women get older.

There are age-related guidelines to follow so you know when to get screened. For women under the age of 40 the risk of breast cancer is low. However, if you’re concerned about having an increased risk of breast cancer, talk to your healthcare provider. For women between 40 and 49, although the risk of developing breast cancer increases with age, it is less clear that the benefits of mammograms outweigh the risks for women in this age group. Talk to your healthcare provider about your breast cancer risk and your need for mammograms. It’s between 50 and 74 years of age that breast cancer screening has proven to have the most benefit. Plan on having a mammogram every two years or as decided by you and your healthcare provider. If you are 75 or older you may continue to benefit from a regular screening mammogram. Talk to your healthcare provider.

No matter how old you are, know what looks and feels normal for you so you can notice any unusual changes in your breasts. Talk to your healthcare provider if you notice anything different.

Mammograms are done at specific radiology clinics and some hospitals, and are also available through a mobile program that travels to about 100 rural communities throughout Alberta. You can see the schedule at http://screeningforlife.ca/screentest/.

For more information on breast cancer screening in Alberta visit the Screening for Life website at http://screeningforlife.ca. To book your screening mammogram call 1-866-7273926.