It is one of the most common forms of cancer. This year, more than 300,000 new cases of it are expected to be diagnosed, according to the American Cancer Society.
“Every breast cancer is different. Every person is different,” said Dr. Everett Bonner, a surgical breast oncologist at the Baton Rouge Clinic.
In this week’s Women’s Wellness, I’m catching up with Dr. Bonner. We are talking about breast cancer, and why it’s so important to get screened.
“As a society, we still recommend that women the age of 40 should start off with their screening mammograms, and they should do it every year there after,” said Dr. Bonner.
Dr. Bonner said there are different recommendations out there, but this is one he goes by.
“Now, that is for the average risk person. Screening for women who are higher risk are a little bit different. Women who have had a family member with breast cancer, I usually tell those patients that you should start your screening mammogram 10 years younger than the youngest age that had breast cancer, and that should not go below age 40. So for instance, if their mother or sister or a grandmother had breast cancer at age 40, they should start their screening right around age 30,” explained Dr. Bonner.
As Dr. Bonner said genetics plays a big role of when to get screened, but a mammogram isn’t the only way.
“I also recommend not doing any screening mammogram before the age 25. This past year, I’ve already diagnosed women in their 20’s with breast cancer. All have been around their upper 20’s, and that goes to part of the screening for younger patients, which is self-breast exams as well as an annual clinical breast exam, which is part of the screening,” said Dr. Bonner.
There are some misconceptions.
“I always remind patients, just because you have a normal mammogram does not mean you’re in the clear. A complete screening for the female breast is a mammogram and a clinician’s exam, and that completes the screening portion because mammograms, even though they are the best that we have, they’re not always complete, and an exam can pick up subtle things that a mammogram cannot pick up,” said Dr. Bonner. “There are certain things that do not show up on a mammogram that the physical exam can alert you to.”
If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to your doctor. Next week, we will learn more about how breast cancer is treated.
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/