Oct. 30--Peterson Regional Medical Center radiology technologist Norma Garcia went in for her own annual screening in April 2011, when doctors discovered a lump that turned out to be breast cancer.
Thanks to early detection and treatment, she is a healthy breast cancer survivor -- one who knows from personal experience how important breast exams are.
"(Women) have to be their own advocate and make sure they know their own breasts," Garcia said.
Women are advised to start getting annual breast screenings at about age 40. According to Garcia, this is the time when most women enter pre-menopause, so their estrogen levels decrease, and the risk of developing breast cancer increases.
Garcia said women often go into their first mammograms feeling a little nervous, especially after hearing stories from other women on how much it hurts.
"It's not something we (women) like to do; most women don't like doing it," she said.
However, Garcia said she and her fellow mammographers usually will take their time with a woman while she's getting her first annual screening, discussing each step and helping them relax.
"We try to ease their minds about it and make them comfortable," she said.
According to Garcia, during an annual screening, the mammographer will take four pictures, two of each breast. The breast is compressed for each photo, which can hurt for women who have more sensitive breasts. However, she said each picture usually takes less than a few seconds, so the pressure does not last long.
Garcia said mammograms can take longer when a woman has breast implants because the mammographer will have to take twice as many images -- one that includes the implant and one that's called a "pushback," where only the breast tissue in front of the implant is examined. She said this procedure is becoming more common as more women get breast implants.
"When I started doing this, we weren't seeing them as often," she said. "Now, we see them every day, sometimes two or three times a day."
There are steps all women can take to lessen the pain, Garcia said. She suggested taking an anti-inflammatory medicine such as Advil or Aleve, and added caffeine should be avoided for two or three days prior to the exam -- especially for women with tender breasts or implants.
Women younger than 40 are advised not to get annual screenings unless there is a history of breast cancer in the family, in which case Garcia said 35 is a good age to start. The reason why is because screenings for younger women usually don't show anything.
According to Young Survival Coalition program manager Megan McCann, annual screenings are largely ineffective for women younger than 40 because their breast tissue is too dense to detect problems.
McCann and Garcia said all women older than 18 should instead perform monthly self breast exams. This involves checking the breast tissue for any hardness or abnormalities. According to Garcia, when young women perform regular self exams, they are more likely to detect something early.
"When they do their monthly exams, they'll know something's changed," Garcia said.
Garcia said many women have "lumpy or bumpy breasts," especially those who have larger chest sizes, but she said normal lumps are much different than cancerous ones. She said a cancerous lump or cyst usually won't move as the woman touches it, and she said it will be very hard and perhaps an odd shape.
Should something be detected, McCann said a diagnostic mammogram should be scheduled immediately, regardless of age. Garcia said she's seen women as young as 36 diagnosed with breast cancer. Diagnostic mammograms take longer than annual screenings and involve taking three pictures of each breast instead of two.
___
(c)2012 the Kerrville Daily Times (Kerrville, Texas)
Visit the Kerrville Daily Times (Kerrville, Texas) at www.dailytimes.com
Distributed by MCT Information Services