Routine Gynecologic Care

Mammograms remain an essential part of women’s healthcare throughout their lives. Some may hear their doctors encourage them to go in for a breast cancer screening as early as their 20s if they are predisposed to cancer development.

Still, most women will start screening around age 40. However, some women may find the concept of mammography intimidating, largely because they do not realize that some of the information they have about the process is, in fact, false!

Many common myths about mammograms are so widely circulated that telling the difference between fact and fiction becomes difficult.

Here are some common misconceptions about mammograms and how to debunk them using evidence-based science and data.

Myth: Getting a Mammogram Hurts

Every woman’s body is different, as is her pain tolerance compared to other people. Research into the potential discomfort associated with a mammogram demonstrates that, in general, less than 5% of women describe their experience as severely painful.

This study also discovered that when women were going into their first mammogram, they were even less likely to describe the process as painful. Researchers determined this was because they were not building up anticipation of how uncomfortable the procedure might be.

If you are getting ready for a mammogram, approach it with an open mind. This prevents your body from anticipating pain where none might exist and keeps the process more relaxed. A compassionate, helpful team can guide you through the procedure with your comfort in mind.

Myth: Mammograms Are Only for People With Family History

A person’s genetic history plays a role in the development of certain types of cancer, and breast cancer is one such variant. However, all women should be screened for breast cancer regularly, regardless of their family history.

Research has found that between 5% and 10% of patients who are newly diagnosed with breast cancer do have a familial component, such as other family members with breast or ovarian cancer.

This leaves a large portion of women who are diagnosed despite having no previous incidences of breast cancer in the family. Taking charge of your own health is a decision, regardless of what medical events have happened in your family’s past.

Myth: Dense Breast Tissue Prevents Mammography

Dense breast tissue can be harder to see during a mammogram, but it does not stop mammography from being useful! Skilled practitioners who have experience working with patients with dense breasts are still capable of spotting abnormalities in this type of tissue.

Additionally, studies remain ongoing into other methods that can supplement mammograms, such as ultrasounds or MRIs with contrast. These have been shown to increase the identification rate of cancer, including in women with dense breasts. If you have dense breast tissue, do not let that stop you from getting screened!

Myth: Self-Exams Are Enough

Many women perform regular breast self-exams at home, and that is a great thing. However, self-exams alone do not offer the highest detection rate for breast cancer. Research has gathered enough data to show that around 25% of women detect breast cancer on their own during self-examination.

Despite this, almost 50% of breast cancers are found during a mammogram. By combining these methods, women can see a significant increase in early detection rates. If you are doing self-exams, you are already making great progress. Do not forget to continue to care for yourself by getting screened.

Myth: Mammograms Increase Breast Cancer Rates

Some women have heard that mammograms actually increase breast cancer rates. However, this idea comes from confusion about the differences in correlation and causation. Women who have mammograms are indeed more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer, because it was the mammogram that discovered it!

Similarly, suppose a woman never has a mammogram. In that case, she might not receive that breast cancer diagnosis, even if she does have breast cancer. Mammograms do not cause cancer, and this idea should not stop you from getting one.

Instead, it is important to know that about 66% of breast cancer diagnoses happen when the cancer is still localized (in a small area of the breast), thanks to women going in for their regular screenings. When cancer is at this small stage, the five-year survival rate is as high as 99%.

Embrace Your Long-Term Health by Scheduling a Mammogram

Mammograms are an important part of lifelong healthcare for women. However, at Raleigh Gynecology & Wellness, we understand that the mammography process can seem intimidating or confusing.

Our all-women team is happy to help you digest the mammography procedure so you always know what to expect. We approach each patient’s care with compassion and a goal of long-term wellness. Contact Raleigh Gynecology & Wellness today to schedule your mammogram!

Breast cancer screening usually brings to mind mammograms, which are one of the main ways to identify breast cancer. While mammograms are an irreplaceable part of a smart healthcare plan, they should not be the only way to keep up with breast health. Performing breast self-exams is also an essential element to prevent the development of cancer by catching it while it is still in its most minor, most treatable stage.

Studies show that breast cancer can grow quickly; certain types can double in tumor size in as little as 25 days. This leaves a significant risk for those who use mammography as their only screening method. Uncover the role of self-exams in breast cancer screening and how to perform one on yourself so you can stay safe and healthy.

What Is a Breast Self-Exam?

A breast self-exam is the process of palpating (that is, feeling by using pressure and motion) the breast tissue to identify areas that have potentially changed or those that feel unusual.

What is considered normal will vary from person to person. Some women have especially dense breast tissue, while others maintain minimal fat in the breasts. This is part of why conducting regular exams is essential: it helps establish a baseline for comparison later.

Breast self-exams are recommended at least monthly, but many women do them once a week or more. They are easy to do while in the shower or lying in bed, so turning exams into a habit is simple. An exam should be done using the pads of your fingers, not the palms. Many women choose the shower because it makes motion over the chest area easier!

The Best Breast Self-Exam Technique

All breast exams should begin with a visual examination. In some cases, breast issues can be identified by sight before touch. Look at:

• The size of the breasts
• Breast symmetry (it’s all right if they are not the same size or orientation, but dramatic differences should be investigated)
• Any dimpling or puckered areas
• The nipples (turned-in nipples especially should be seen by a doctor)
• The hard ridges underneath the breasts
• The shape of the breasts, both with arms above the head and when resting the hands on the hips

Once the breasts have been visually reviewed, it is time to move on to the manual exam. Taking the pads of the fingers, start at the 12 o’clock position at the nipple and move the fingers upward toward the collarbone.

Repeat this process with varying degrees of pressure. Then, move on to 1 o’clock and repeat the process until all tissue has been examined in the entire circle. Do not forget to investigate the armpits. Any lumps, bumps, or unusual areas, especially those that change over time, are cause to visit the doctor for more testing.

Are Self-Exams Enough?

Breast self-exams play an essential role in cancer prevention. However, as with many types of preventive healthcare, they alone can leave some things missing. The best strategy to reduce breast cancer risk is to catch it early by combining regular breast exams with mammograms and well-woman visits.

Mammograms can see deeper into the breast tissue than a self-exam may be able to feel. Additionally, while women can become familiar with the normal state of their breasts, they are not medical professionals and may overlook lumps that a doctor could feel.

For these reasons and many more, the smartest way to approach breast cancer prevention is to visit a doctor regularly. Mammograms combined with self-exams produce a higher detection rate, almost double that of mammography or self-exams alone.

That being said, it is wise to embrace the self-exam as a great interim strategy between mammograms. If you are unsure how to perform an exam correctly, ask your doctor to demonstrate and provide advice to get the most out of your exam routine.

Get Your Yearly Mammogram

The role of self-exams in breast cancer screening cannot be overstated, as they increase the detection rate of breast cancer. Alongside mammography, self-exams can significantly boost the diagnosis rate of cancer while it is still in its infancy and when the survival rate approaches 99%.

If it is time for your next mammogram, schedule it at a convenient time so you do not have to worry about fitting it into your busy day. The professionals at Raleigh Gynecology & Wellness can help you establish a strong mammogram history and develop good habits for breast self-exams. Contact Raleigh Gynecology & Wellness to schedule your appointment!

Mammography is one of the most essential medical tests women can schedule in their lives. Whether a mammogram is done once per year for screening purposes or more often due to family history or previous unusual results, patients are encouraged not to skip their appointments.

However, it is common for people to put off scheduling their next mammogram because they have not experienced any issues indicating a problem.

In some cases, mammograms follow unusual symptoms. Patients may experience nipple discharge, unusual soreness, or even a lump that they notice while going about their daily routine.

But in most cases mammograms are recommended for routine screening in women without any particular symptoms. In patients who believe they are healthy, it can be easy to skip the mammogram because nothing appears to be wrong.

In reality, this can be a dangerous approach. It is essential to understand that regular screening is irreplaceable, even if you have no symptoms.

Early Detection Increases Positive Outcomes

One of the most important reasons why women should continue to be screened for breast cancer, even if they have no symptoms, is because breast cancers can begin to develop deep in the tissues of the breast.

In these early stages, they do not typically cause symptoms; all the same, they are growing and multiplying. A mammogram can detect these early-stage cancer growths before they become severe.

When women skip screenings, they face multiple risks: the development of undetected cancer, the spread of cancer to other organs and body systems, and even damage to tissues in the breast.

Studies repeatedly show that the most important factor influencing a patient’s survival is how early the cancer is detected. In women who are screened regularly to detect cancerous growth soon after it begins, the survival rate can be as high as 99%. However, this number starts to drop the longer the cancer remains unnoticed.

Screening Creates a Habit

Another reason regular screening is essential even if you have no symptoms is because scheduling and attending a yearly mammogram creates a valuable health habit.

Women who are used to getting their mammograms are less likely to forget and more likely to continue making appointments. Positive habits such as this support good health over an entire lifetime.

As an added benefit, women who make a habit of going to the same doctor can build a strong relationship with that medical team. This makes appointments more seamless and gives patients a more significant ownership role in their healthcare and outcomes.

Patients Develop a Health History

One factor contributing to positive health outcomes when patients get regular mammogram screenings, an element frequently overlooked, is the patient’s ever-expanding health history.

Even if a mammogram finds nothing remarkable, the imaging of the breast tissue is stored in the patient’s file. This snapshot in time holds valuable information, not just in the present but in the future.

Suppose that a patient has normal mammograms multiple years in a row. Then, during the most recent mammogram, the doctor notices an area that may be unusual but does not directly seem problematic.

Because that patient has been getting their regular screenings, even though nothing seemed wrong, the doctor has years of history to look back on and compare that unusual spot to. This can help them better understand whether the breast tissue change is attributable to age, habits, cancerous development, or something else.

The presence of a complete health history such as this also makes patients’ lives easier. Doctors who can compare multiple years of imaging and other health data may not need to recommend a biopsy where it may otherwise be necessary for a patient who has not been seen before.

Patients are encouraged to share their health information, not just their breast scans, with the medical team in charge of their mammography care. Data such as hormone levels and past medication usage can all impact how the team approaches the mammogram and its interpretation.

Get Your Regular Mammography Screening

Getting a mammogram takes time, but investing just an hour or two once per year can save weeks, months, or even years that might be claimed due to the development of cancer and its impact on lifespan.

Women over 40 should undergo a mammogram once per year unless they have genetic factors that increase their risk of breast cancer. Even if you feel normal or have not found any lumps during at-home self-exams, scheduling a mammogram with professionals is still essential.

The Raleigh Gynecology & Wellness team strives to make this process as seamless and straightforward as possible so you can get back to what you love to do. Contact Raleigh Gynecology & Wellness today to schedule your mammogram!

Mammography is an irreplaceable part of any woman’s life, as it is often the frontline defense in the fight against breast cancer. However, the direction of mammograms is changing, and 2D mammography may be on its way out in favor of 3D mammograms.

Because this technology is still new in many locations, it is entirely normal for women to be unfamiliar with this form of breast cancer screening. 3D mammograms offer numerous advantages that stand out above the results that 2D could provide.

By switching to 3D mammography or even combining 2D and 3D imaging, patients can enjoy a more accurate set of results that can catch breast cancer even earlier than tests in previous years.

Here is what any woman needs to know about the role of 3D mammography in modern breast cancer screening and what to expect during an appointment with a new 3D system.

How Is a 3D Mammogram Different?

As its name implies, a 3D mammogram takes a three-dimensional picture of the breast tissue. While a 2D mammogram produces a flat picture, a 3D mammogram creates an image file that can be rotated to view different angles. Think of it as the difference between looking at a picture of a baseball and holding a baseball in one’s hand.

Having a complete, three-dimensional baseball in the palm of one’s hand so that it can be turned, flipped over, and rotated allows for many more details to become visible that might have been obscured or gone unnoticed in a flat, 2D picture.

Are 3D Mammograms Better?

3D mammograms are changing the way patients can learn from their mammography appointments. Some of the many advantages of a three-dimensional mammogram include:

Higher Detection Rate

When patients utilize a 3D mammogram (a digital breast tomosynthesis mammogram, or DBT), they are more likely to see cancer detection earlier than if using a 2D scan. This effect persists regardless of the age group. In other words, DBT finds cancerous tissue earlier, when it is smaller and easier to remove or treat.

Fewer Follow-up Appointments

Another advantage of 3D mammography is that it correlates with a lower rate of follow-up appointments. Because the 3D image is often so clear, patients can be directed immediately to their next steps, whether a biopsy, treatment, or simply scheduling next year’s mammogram for continued prevention.

Reducing the number of follow-up appointments is an important part of decreasing cancer occurrence in women. It is common for women not to attend follow-up appointments because of time, financial, or accessibility constraints, which may lead to potentially delaying care until next year’s mammogram.

Less Discomfort

Many patients generally report that a 3D mammogram is less uncomfortable than a 2D machine. This could result from the 3D scanner’s ability to capture a detailed image without compressing the breast tissue as much. However, pain tolerance and experience vary from person to person, so some may find that a 3D mammogram does not feel all that different from its 2D counterpart.

Less Radiation

One often overlooked advantage of 3D mammography paired with the reduction in follow-up care is the resulting decrease in radiation exposure. While the level of radiation a patient is exposed to during a mammogram is well within safe limits, limiting a patient’s exposure as much as possible is still beneficial. 3D mammograms produce low-dose X-rays, minimizing a patient’s contact with radiation whenever possible.

However, this effect is more impactful given the statistic that 3D mammograms also reduce the need for follow-up appointments. This can spare patients an entire second dose of radiation during an additional scan, thereby reducing that patient’s overall exposure.

Some locations will do a 3D mammogram alongside 2D imaging, which can produce a higher radiation level than 2D or 3D mammography alone.

However, such exposure is still entirely within safe limits, and the resulting images can provide as much detail as possible for patients who are at increased risk of breast cancer development or those who have had cancer before.

Try 3D Mammography for Your Next Appointment

A mammogram should be a part of any woman’s regular healthcare routine. However, she may have to choose between a facility that offers 2D mammography or a 3D DBT machine. Before making that decision, it is important to understand how 3D mammograms can be different!

From higher detection rates to fewer follow-up appointments, there are many potential advantages to trying a 3D mammogram. Contact Raleigh Gynecology & Wellness today to schedule your mammogram appointment and stay on track with preventive breast cancer screening.

Healthy breast tissue is essential for reducing the risk of cancerous development. While genes play some role in breast cancer risk (as does the frequency of preventive care, such as mammograms), lifestyle choices also have a significant impact.

Exercise, nutrition, and sufficient vitamin intake are all important steps in lowering the risk of breast cancer. However, it can be unclear which foods are beneficial and which may increase risk instead of decreasing it.

While every diet should contain various foods, specific categories or types are especially valuable in reducing cancer risk. Bear in mind, whenever possible, food should be consumed as close to its origin as possible; for example, whole foods such as fruits are preferable over artificially sweetened fruit juices.

It is helpful to get a baseline knowledge of food groups so you can make smart choices about nutrition.

Cruciferous Vegetables

Vegetables, in general, are a good inclusion in any diet, but cruciferous vegetables are incredibly impactful. “Cruciferous” means vegetables in the same family as cabbage; think broccoli, bok choy, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, turnips, and radishes.

These vegetables contain valuable nutrients, such as carotenoids, glucosinolates, indoles, and isothiocyanates. These compounds (especially indoles and isothiocyanates) correlate with a decreased risk of breast cancer because they actively inactivate carcinogenic compounds, protect DNA strands from damage, and reduce inflammation in the body.

Other Vegetables and Fruits

It is hard to go wrong with any vegetable or fruit incorporated into the diet. The substances in fruits, such as antioxidants, decrease cell damage and boost the immune system to combat any problematic cells it encounters.

Studies indicate that various types of cancer are affected by fruit. Fruit (especially dried dates and figs) are correlated with a risk decrease ranging from just a few percentage points to more than 60% relative risk.

“Fatty” Foods

Most people know that fat is not the best inclusion in anyone’s diet. Still, fewer are aware that not all fat has a problematic effect. While saturated and unsaturated fats (and especially trans fats) in excess may be troublesome for heart health and other health indicators, fats called omega-3 fatty acids can actually slow cancerous cell division and decrease inflammation.

Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in salmon, chia seeds, walnuts, and soybeans; generally, any nut or seed will be a good source of omega-3s.

Whole Grains

Carbohydrates serve as quick fuel for the body; in today’s modern world, it is effortless to find them. However, some carbohydrates offer more benefits than others. Whole grains, which include more parts of the grain than refined products, offer fiber, vitamins, and minerals that can be hard to find from other sources.

Fiber, especially, is important as a mitigating agent against breast cancer. It keeps the gut microbiome healthy, impacting metabolism and overall health. It also keeps people feeling full longer, serving as a powerful force in weight control (and thus breast cancer control, as excess weight leads to increased estrogen production). In some studies, consumption of fiber held a significant inverse correlation with breast cancer development.

Hydration

When people think of nutrition, they tend to think of food. However, water is just as important! Good hydration can reduce the risk of breast cancer in a roundabout way: through the colon. Higher water consumption prevents constipation, which allows bodily waste (including free estrogen) to exit the body.

Without sufficient water intake, the gut moves this waste more slowly, allowing the excess estrogen to remain in the body longer. As a result, estrogen levels can become unbalanced, causing breast tissue proliferation that boosts the chances of cancer development.

Alcohol Intake

Alcohol is a regular part of many people’s lives. From an occasional drink at a work happy hour to a regular daily habit, consumption of alcohol can find its way into a person’s life in many ways. However, studies consistently show that alcohol consumption is correlated with a 30% to 50% increase in breast cancer risk.

One of the simplest ways to have a significant positive impact on breast cancer risk is to eliminate alcohol from the diet or significantly decrease consumption.

Unite Nutrition With Preventive Screening

Your daily choices regarding what to consume and how to hydrate can have a lasting impact on your breast health and, by extension, the health of your entire body. Pair smart nutritional choices with other beneficial habits, such as participating in routine mammogram exams to spot cancer in its earliest stages. Contact Raleigh Gynecology and Wellness today to schedule your next mammogram!