mamogram question....

Mary1223 · May 2008

Mary1223 · May 2008

Hi,

I was dx'd 5 years ago with IDC at age 50. My treatment was lumpectomy, radiation and tomoxifen. My 33 year old daughter asked her ob/gyn if she needed to have a baseline mamogram now because of my dx. Her dr told her that wasn't necessary because my cancer was estrogen positive and I was over 50, that she doesn't need to get a mamo til she's 40. I always thought if there was a history of bc then you needed to get a baseline mamo as early as possible. Can somebody shed some light on this for me? I would really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance.

Mary

holly77 · May 2008

That is what I was always told as well. If someone in your family has BC then its wise to get an annual mammogram because having a family history increases your risk. That is what my surgeon told me. Nobody ahs BC in my family but other kinds of cancers are on both sides of my family. I think it was be very smart if your daughter went ahead and got a mammogram that way they can catch anything early.

shiny · May 2008

Hi Mary,

I had a strong family hist of bc at young age (40's and 30's). (grandma,2 aunties and cousin on other side of family).

Had yearly check up from around 30. This included Mamo and ultrasound sometimes, and a physical check by an BC nurse.

All of this was at a specialist cancer hosp, in a bc clinic.

I think it is wise to be monitored by a specialist bc clinic, as they are very used to what they are looking for and less likely to miss something. The mamos before kids and breast feeding are often harder to "read" I was told as the tissue is so dense.

Even if they don't do mamo right away, if she starts to be seen and examined yearly, that is a good start.

As a mum,I can totaly understand you wanting to make sure she is monitored. Often, I think, bc that occurs in younger woman(pre menopausal) can be more agressive and faster growing, and that is why they offer more close monitering in families with bc in younger woman. In my case, I ended up self diagnosing a small "mound" like lumb which didn't move when I lay on my side on self examination between my yearly checks.

If it was my girl,I'd have her see a specialist bc nurse to make sure she knows how to properly do a breast self exam, so that she can confidently do that regularely and get to know what feels normal for her and what to look for. I'd encourage her to be confident and pro active if she ever felt ANY change in her breast, as the sooner it is checked out the better either way.

Take care,I am sure you will get more replies when it is daytime in the states! It's 10 am here.

Have a good day! Take care.

shiny

wishiwere · May 2008

My own dd is only 24, but It's a concern for me as well and I asked my BS about it and he said it wasn't a concern.

It is though. I was 49 and the only family hx was an aunt that was 80 at dx. Although, there is a lot of skin cancer and others in my family, no other bc.

B/c of that, and the fact that they talk about under 50 being an important prognostic in this, I have told dd that at 30 she too should get a baseline. Especially since it takes 10+ for some to grow to a size that is palpable. Mine was hidden under a cyst I'd had for probably 12 years.Until I started through menopause last summer, I didn't know it was there. And actually thought it was just the cysts changing with the hormone drop. Boy was I wrong. The hormone just got rid of the cyst so that the lump was now palpable we think.

As someone else stated, I think having your dd go to a breast cancer center screening rather than a pcp or other, is a wise decision. They can explain so much to her and hopefully 'more up to date' stuff. Many docs still think that a BC doesn't cause pain! HA! I still feel the pain of it even after the mast! Phantoms, but I still feel it.

Anonymous · May 2008

Mary,

My gyn called me yesterday to discuss the path report from my biopsies earlier this week (ADH). I have some family history of bc: my maternal grandmother died of metastatic bc; my mother had a 'pre-malignant' lump removed when she was in her 30's (that is all she knows about it); my mother had a first cousin who passed away from bc - she had a different type of bc in each breast, was diagnosed in her 30s, and tested positive for the bc gene.

My gyn said that my having ADH, in addition to my family history, puts me at a considerably higher risk of developing a malignancy in the future, and that I will be monitored very closely from now on. I asked her about my daughter, who is in her early 20s. My daughter has already had a fibroadenoma removed, and she has had a ruptured ovarian cyst (which is something that happened to me when I was in my early 20s too). My gyn said that my daughter should also be watched closely. She recommended beginning mammograms on her at age 30, possibly with ultrasounds if needed (since younger women have denser breasts and ultrasounds can detect lumps better with dense breast tissue).

My personal feeling is that you need to feel comfortable with your doctor, and that your doctor should be willing to listen to you and your concerns. If your daughter wants a baseline mammogram and her physician refuses, perhaps she should look for another physician. Going to breast health facility is an excellent idea, because they are more likely to be very diligent; breasts are their sole area of focus.

Best of luck and good health to you and your daughter.

Dukemom

Ked1019 · May 2008

Mary,

Hi, it sounds like your daughter's ob/gyn said it wasn't necessary but didn't say NO out right. I would have your daughter check her ins policy (just call cust. serv) and ask them the earliest age they will cover a baseline/screening mam. I know in my policy it states 30 if history and 35 if none. Normally mams begin at 40 but I was able to get my at 35 just by asking my dr if I could. I got the same response... "it isn't necessary at your age to have one" however she continued on "if it makes your feel better getting one we can certainly do that too". I have learned through my journey in this "not diagnosied but worried" season of my life that if I don't ask and pursue it won't happen. Please ask your daughter to check out the ins covg issue and if they say it is okay to get a screening one now, have her call the dr. and leave a msg for a referral for a baseline mam. If her dr. won't listen to her concerns and fears then she is not the right dr. for her.

Good luck and Congrats on being a 5yr survivor.

Sassa · May 2008

I was the first in my family to be diagnosed with breast cancer.

My daughter, 23 at the time, was immediately sent in by her gyn for a baseline mammogram and was told she will have one every year.

Her insurance did pay the cost of the mammogram.

Little-G · May 2008

I was dx with BC, and my mom. So at my daughters last dr. visit (my daughter is 16) I had asked the doc what she should do in order to protect herself from this and she suggested mammo's begining at age 30. No one seems to be consistent on this information. I think, for our daughters sake, this is something that should also have some research put into it.

g

bermudagem · May 2008

Hi ladies,

My Oycn, told me that since I was 38 (39 now) when I was DX. That my twin girls should get their first mammogram at 28. She said it is a 10 year rule. They should start 10 years before you had it.

I hope that helps.

Shelly

Nichola · May 2008

This is an interesting thread as I went to great trouble to get to the bottom of these queries:-

As I understand it the reason mammograms are not usually offered to younger women is because the breast tissue in pre menstrual women is too dense to see most abnormalities.

Also, It was explained to me that a genetic predisposition to cancer is usually only significant when the cancer was in pre menstrual women, in their 20s or 30s. I was 44 on diagnosis and my sister 54, but genetics was not considered an issue.

Hope this helps...

cats_love_me · May 2008

I asked my mom's onc this question last year. Mom's first cancer was pre-menapasal, at age 45. So, he said my screening needed to start 10-12 years prior to the mom's original cancer.

I went to my pcp, and tol him my mom's onc said it was time for me to get a mammogram. I didn't really word it, like he had a choice in the matter, he had to look up the code for insurance, since i was under the normal 40 age to write on the order.

I have switched docs, and need to get mine done this year, now.

Now that I think about it.

Connie

rockwell_girl · May 2008

I had no family history and waited till I was 40 which wasn't early enough to save my breast but hopefully it will give me a long time to keep living. From what I now know with so many young women getting diagnosed, I've heard it's best to get your 1st mamo at age 35 than 37, 39 and every year after that. With my history my daughter will have her 1st one at age 30. Please tell all females to get there 1st mamo at age 35 I sure wish I would have. A lot of things would have been different if I took my 1st mamo 5 years earlier.

mamogram question....

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