What's a Mammogram and Why Do I Need One?

Unfortunately, most women are more afraid of a mammogram than the disease it's meant to detect. Yet, more women in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer every year than with any other cancer except skin cancer. This year, about 211,000 cases will be diagnosed and 39,800 women will die of the disease. Many of these lives could have been saved by early diagnosis.

Since we still don't know just what causes breast cancer, for now a woman's best protection is early detection. Following are the American Cancer Society's guidelines for the early detection of breast cancer:

Age 20 -39

• Have a clinical breast exam by a doctor or nurse every three years
• Do a breast self-exam every month

Age 40+

• Have a mammogram every year (an annual mammogram often provides the first clue that a woman might have breast cancer)
• Have a clinical breast exam by a doctor or nurse every year
• Do a breast self-exam every month

Simply being a woman is the main risk factor for breast cancer. Other risk factors include:

Age: The chance of getting breast cancer goes up as a woman get older.

Genetics: About one in 10 cases of breast cancer is linked to changes (mutations) in certain genes. If a woman has inherited a changed gene from either parent, she is more likely to get breast cancer. About five women out of 10 with these gene changes will get breast cancer by the age of 70.

Family History: Breast cancer risk is higher among women whose close blood relatives have the disease. The relatives can be from either the mother's or father's side. Having a mother, sister or daughter with breast cancer almost doubles a woman's risk.

Personal History: A woman with cancer in one breast has a greater chance of getting a new cancer in the other breast or in another part of the same breast.

Race: White women are slightly more likely to get breast cancer than are African-American women. But African-American women are more likely to die of this cancer. Asian, Hispanic and American Indian women have a lower risk.

History of Breast Biopsy: Certain types of abnormal breast biopsy results can be linked to a slightly higher risk of breast cancer.

History of Radiation Treatment: Women who have had chest area radiation treatment as a child or young woman have a greatly increased risk of breast cancer.

Menstrual Periods: Women who began having periods early (before 12 years of age) or who went through menopause after the age of 50 have a small increased risk of breast cancer. The same is true for women who have not had children, or who had their first child after they were 30 years old.

For more information about the many factors affecting breast cancer risk, call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit their web site at www.cancer.org.