anual digital mammo for 30yo with healthy breasts

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vivo
vivo Member Posts: 532
edited June 2014 in High Risk for Breast Cancer

I want to ask you about my daughter's plan to start annual digital mammos-as you have a lot of knowledge in your hands here ladies. She went to her doc for check up in case of pregnancy (she plans to get pregnant for the first time in the summer !!!) and her doc told her she has to start annual digital mammos because of high risc from my side (I have stage IV bc).She is 30 yo and I know docs reccomend mammos for high risk women. I just wanted to ask if she could just postpone it until she give birth to her children (doc says no). I don't want to take all this radiation before pregnancy. Am I crazy or not?

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  • IronJawedBCAngel
    IronJawedBCAngel Member Posts: 470
    edited June 2010

    Depending on her insurance, I would ask for an ultrasound or preferably an MRI.  Dense breasts are a challenge for mammography, and normally, the younger you are, the more dense your breasts.    I am 52 and still get an annual MRI because of my dense breasts.  Although she is high risk, there is a cumalative risk of having annual mammograms starting that young.  MRI's have no radiation and are more effective.  Ultrasounds can pick up some cancers, but miss others completely.  She will be in my prayers that she never has to face a breast cancer diagnosis.

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  • vivo
    vivo Member Posts: 532
    edited June 2010

    Didn't know MRI's have no radiation! Also they are more reliable than mammos I think. So it would be a  good try to ask doc if she could have and MRI instead of mamo.

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  • LISAMG
    LISAMG Member Posts: 639
    edited June 2010

    Usually the breast imaging recommendation for women at risk, without a known BRCA mutation, is 10 yrs prior to the age of onset of your cancer, being her mom. Why not consider an ultrasound for starters since this has been often more effective for younger women with dense breast tissue.

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