Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/362765
31 | bcliving.ca health tness Regular mammograms from age 40 are still a woman's best line of defense against breast cancer – despite widespread media coverage of studies that have suggested otherwise Get the Clear Picture Get tips from Dr. Low at BCLiving.ca/ Health 4 5 Dr. Rhonda Low is a family physician and TV and radio health journalist in Vancouver. Keep up @doctorrhonda When Do I Need a Mammogram? Age 40 to 74 High Risk If you have a mother, sister or daughter with breast cancer, get a mammogram annually. Age 40 to 49 Average Risk If you don't have a family his- tory of breast cancer, you're eligible every two years. Age 50 to 74 It's recommended you get a mammogram every two years. Over age 74 You're eligible every two to three years. Talk to your doctor. Under age 40 A mammogram is not recom- mended unless you carry the BRCA1 or 2 gene mutation, have had chest-wall radiation or a strong family history of breast cancer. A doctor's referral is necessary. 3 2 1 e Controversy In 2009, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force dropped its recommendations for women in their 40s to have routine mammograms, citing an increased risk of a false positive result in this age group. This was supported in 2011 by the Canadian Task Force on Preventative Health Care, which had long held this position and rec- ommended routine screening for women aged 50 and over. Much debate ensued. Then, in February 2014, more controversy resulted when a Canadian study published in the British Medical Journal received widespread coverage for suggesting that annual screening does not reduce breast cancer deaths, but rather leads to over-diagnosis and unnecessary treatment. Despite the fact this study reported results based on 25-year-old data and methodology that was widely criticized, it garnered a lot of media attention and spawned many opinion articles from experts both for and against screening mammography. e Bene ts Early Detection Saves Lives Studies from around the world have shown a mini- mum 15 per cent reduction in deaths for women who are screened regularly from age 40. Mammograms can usu- ally nd lumps two or three years before a doctor or self- examination. Early detection o ers a better chance of cure and can avoid the adverse e ects of treatments for more advanced disease. e Concerns A False Negative A cancer could be missed, espe- cially in women under the age of 50. Younger breast tissue can be dense, making abnormalities more di cult to detect. Know- ing your own breast tissue and performing self-exams can help mitigate this risk. A False Positive ere is the possibility of detecting a breast cancer and then having unnecessary treat- ment for something that may never have caused problems. However, science is not yet at a point to unequivocally know which cancers are "safe" to leave alone and which ones need treatment. The Stress When you have a mammogram, only two pictures are taken of each breast: front and side views. So, on average, there is a seven per cent chance that you may be called back for more testing. Although this might cause some anxiety, in over 95 per cent of recalled women, no cancer is found. And in all my years of practice, not one of my patients has complained about the extra testing as they were ultimately relieved to have de nitive results. Exposure to Radiation ere is exposure to low levels of radiation with mammogra- phy; however, no breast cancers have ever been directly attrib- uted to mammograms. ■ While all the controversy made headlines, experts at the B.C. Cancer Agency reviewed the data and produced their new screening recommendations earlier this year (screeningbc.ca). One in nine Canadian women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime e Truth While mammograms are not perfect, they are still the best preventative measure we have against breast cancer. Here's what you should consider before you get screened.