how often do you get a mammogram?

Options
kathleen1966
kathleen1966 Member Posts: 793
edited June 2014 in Stage III Breast Cancer

Howdy all, quick question...

 Those with stage III (or any stage but AGGRESSIVE), who still have one breast remaining, or both, how often are you getting a mammogram on the remaining breast?  And are you getting an MRI and an ultrasound as well.  Do you think one mammogram a year on the remaining breast, which is dense, is enough?  I just don't know.  And I get nothing on the other breast (there is no breast, but I still call it a breast).  I have been told a recurrence would be obvious if it were to show up, but what about nodes?  Yes I had them all removed but there is no-way you can take all of them out.  Just curious....I may have asked this before....I can't remember anything anymore, and I'm too lazy to go spend an hour checking my posts....thanks!  A friend, who just has dense breasts and no cancer, was getting mammograms every six months.  My one sister will get a yearly MRI (never had cancer, just a sister with cancer and dense breasts as well)..the other is only getting a mammogram.  This is what I THINK I should be getting....a mammogram every six months until five years and a yearly MRI from now on....with possible an ultrasound of the nodes every six months.  I found my original cancer. No palpable tumors or nodes, just a sore and a weird looking nipple.  I called and asked for a diagnostic script for the breast (never saw anyone, just did this and went in). This was my first mammogram. I don't want to just rely on myself if there is a next time.  Because I really no longer know what is normal. I never felt the other lumps, but I feel lumps all over the place now...because I have OCFLD now (Obsessive compulsive finding lumps disorder)....

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • gillyone
    gillyone Member Posts: 1,727
    edited February 2012

    I am on yearly mammos now. No MRI or US.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited February 2012

    I have mammo every Aug on remaining breast.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Angelfalls
    Angelfalls Member Posts: 849
    edited February 2012

    Until my recurrence, I was just having an annual mammo on my remaining breast. This changed to an annual CT scan after my first recurrence.

    Angelfalls xx

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited February 2012

    Hi Kathleen,  I too have all the same questions as you do.  I only get a yearly mam on remaining breast which I did have on Wednesday this week.  I always wonder, if I had a recurrance how would it show on the other side now that there is only a "breast" mound from a "free tramflap" recon. surgery. 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • diana50
    diana50 Member Posts: 2,134
    edited February 2012

    i get a mammo 1x a year however, the breast radiologist always says "dense breasts" and then  my oncologist requests a breast MRI for a few months down the line.  i get an ultrasound if the mammo shows anything..or if i have identified something. my breasts are very very dense; what causes that i have no idea because i thought by the time i was almost 60 the girls would be liquid and saggy. lolKiss

    the breast rad doc calls me "problem child" (and we all laught) lol _ well, i want them really looked at...since they had missed the initial tumor and all the positive lymph nodes 10 years ago. 

     best

    diana

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • LouLou40
    LouLou40 Member Posts: 180
    edited February 2012

    Dx at 40, now have yearly mammograms and ultrasounds on both breasts as I had a lumpectomy

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • stage1
    stage1 Member Posts: 475
    edited February 2012

    My Kaiser coverage seems to recommend yearly mammo after my lumpectomy and radiation treatments.  But I requested an MRI, so I expect that will happen in March.  My right one, the good one has not had a mammo since last Feb.  I understand the Cancer Society recommends MRI, I heard from someone on this site.  I was caught in stage 1, but my grade 3 scares me.  I think every MO has a different protocol, as there is not enough knowledge on follow up.  If you are concerned about follow ups, just request procedures that you want to make yourself feel comfortable.  If I had your diagnosis, I would want followups every 6 months, and I don't think I would rely on anything being obvious!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • LindaLou53
    LindaLou53 Member Posts: 929
    edited February 2012

    After having a lumpectomy, SNB, chemo and rads for my first BC in 2000 (Invasive Ductal), I was followed up with a mammogram every 6 months on the cancer side and annual mammograms of the "good" breast. October was always the month that both breasts had a mammogram so in Oct 2005 I had the mamms and was given the "all clear" for both breasts. 10 minutes later, after the news of good mamms, I saw my surgeon who discovered suspicious thickening in my "good" breast. Long story-short, I had a Stage IIIC Invasive Lobular in the good breast with all 23 nodes positive for cancer.



    Yes, I had a history of dense breasts. There is no question in my mind that if I had received a breast MRI back in 2000 my Lobular cancer in the left breast would have been discovered the same time they found the Ductal cancer in the right. A 5.1 cm Grade 1 Lobular ca with 23 positive nodes does not spring up overnight. I had 5 years of annual mammograms of that breast and the cancer was never detected, not even on the same day it was felt by the doctor.



    In 2000 Breast MRIs were just not being done on a routine basis, but with the knowledge today that standard mammograms can miss up to 50% of Lobular cancers and are only 85% effective at finding all Ductal cancers, I feel that breast MRIs should be standard for any woman with a history of dense breasts. I no longer have any breasts to scan, but I guarantee I would be insisting on annual breast MRIs if I did.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • caaclark
    caaclark Member Posts: 936
    edited February 2012

    I have one remaining breast and have a mammo once a year.  I have a twin sister who has never had bc and she gets a mammo once a year and an MRI once a year so she is getting checked every 6 months.  She also takes Tamoxifen as a preventative.  Neither of us are BRCA positive but since we are twins (although fraternal) she is watched closely-actually closer than I am.

    I was diagnosed at age 40 and am now 46.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bethcw
    bethcw Member Posts: 98
    edited February 2012

    I just had my first mammogram following my diagnosis last year.  They told me at my survivorship visit that annual mammograms on my remaining breast would be my plan.  However, I also have dense tissue, and was diagnosed with a mixture of ILC and IDC.  At my next appointment with my BS, I plan to ask for periodic MRI's.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • SharonMH
    SharonMH Member Posts: 353
    edited February 2012

    Hi,  I have a yearly mammo  on my remaining breast.  SharonH

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories