That is to say, not at all.
There was a timeone not that long agowhen thebreast cancerscreening method was not routine.
Since 1990 it has declined by at least 38%.
Design by Channing Smith
Thats attributed in large part to early detection with mammograms.
They pick up about 85% to 90% of breast cancers, but theyre definitely not perfect.
No, they are not.
The fact that she did saved my life.
Thirty days after that biopsy I had adouble mastectomy.
This whiplash is a common experience amongbreast cancer survivors.
Like Munn, she had a normal mammogram just a few months prior that didnt catch the cancer.
Thats what makes it so terrifying and terrible.
But what is the score, and how does it work?
The risk goes up as we age.
you could use theonline calculator on the National Cancer Institute websiteon your own.
While you may know the answer to most questions, others can be trickier; thats why Dr.
Given these facts, its crucial for every woman to know her lifetime risk of breast cancer.
(So if your mother was diagnosed at 48, you should begin mammograms at 38.)
But like mammograms, the risk models arent perfect.
Having information empowers patients, she says.
All of these things can affect the risk of developing cancer.
Remember: Mammograms pick up about 85% to 90% of breast cancers.
The MRI is the screening tool thats most valuable for younger high-risk women, says Dr.
Patients who areBRCA positivemay even start MRIs in their 20s.
So what about breast exams?
Not all screening methods are high-tech.
you’re able to also take things into your own hands, literally.
It felt like a little marble in my chest, she says.
Funny enough, Id had my annual visit to the ob-gyn a week beforehand.
My doctor performed a breast exam then and didnt feel anything out of the ordinary.
Because I found my cancer when I did, my care team was able to act quickly.
I had a complete response to chemo and continue celebrating my cancer-free status.
Another mammogram right before her 40th birthday in May 2023 came back abnormal, leading to a biopsy.
I wasnt at risk of developing breast cancer, Weber says.
I was training for a half marathon.
I was not supposed to get diagnosed with breast cancer.
Im going to my annual gyno.
My mom never had breast cancer.
I dont smoke or drink.
Its something I dont need to worry about, at least not yet.
I caught my cancer so early, she continues.
If I had waited a few more months or another year, what then?
You are your best advocate.
Eventually she saw her midwife for a breast exam.
She learned she had dense breastsarisk factor for breast cancerbut was told to wait and see.
Donbavands advice: You know your body better than anyone else.
Im alive today because I found that minuscule lump and had it checked out.
Bottom line, says Dr. Oratz, Power is knowledge.
Be open and have a full discussion with your doctor about your breast cancer risk and your concerns.
Kylie Gilbert is a writer and editor based in New York City.
