1 in 8
women in the US will be diagnosed with breast cancer
Screening mammograms are recommended every year for all women starting at age 40. They are covered 100% as preventive care by most insurance.
8 Reasons to Get Your Next Annual Mammogram at a Cancer Center
Going to a cancer center for your annual mammogram can be a scary prospect. But for women with certain risk factors, scheduling your next mammogram at a cancer center can be worth the extra effort. Cancer centers are experts at performing and reading diagnostic mammograms, screening mammograms and other diagnostic imaging like ultrasounds and breast MRIs to rule out cancer.
Here are eight reasons why you should consider getting the most accurate results from a cancer expert this year.
1. You have a higher-than-average risk for breast cancer.
Average risk for all women is about 1 in 8, but there are some factors that lead to an even higher risk. Here are some of the common factors that increase your chance of getting breast cancer:
- Family history of breast or ovarian cancer – If you have a first-degree relative (mother, sister or daughter) or several family members who were diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer, you have a heightened risk of breast cancer. However, just 10% of breast cancers are from known inherited genes.
- Advanced age – Your risk for breast cancer increases as you age, and most cases are diagnosed after age 50.
- Hormone exposure – specific types of breast cancers grow in response to hormones. Women who begin menstruating early (before age 12) or enter menopause late (after age 55) have prolonged exposure to estrogen and progesterone.
- Prior radiation therapy – Women who have had radiation treatment delivered to their chest, breasts or upper abdomen before age 30 have an increased risk of developing breast cancer.
- Exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES) – Between 1940 and 1971, DES was routinely prescribed to pregnant women in the United States to help prevent miscarriage. A woman who took DES, or whose mother took DES while pregnant, has a higher risk of developing breast cancer.
Additionally, a history of tobacco use, heavy alcohol consumption and obesity are also risk factors for many types of cancer, including breast cancer.
Do you know your breast cancer risk?
Moffitt includes a personalized risk assessment for each patient who receives their annual mammogram at one of our screening locations in Tampa.
Schedule your screening mammogram
2. You have dense breast tissue.
All mammogram reports after September 10, 2023 are required to indicate whether the patient has dense breast tissue. This is because dense breast tissue can significantly increase your risk of developing breast cancer and makes it harder for doctors to detect small tumors on a mammogram.
On imaging, dense breast tissue will appear white, but so do any cancerous masses. The dense breast tissue can mask the presence of a cancer tumor and lead to an inaccurate mammogram reading or the need for follow-up imaging to get a clearer view.
Not all facilities offering a screening mammogram will have the technology to perform more advanced imaging services like 3D mammography, breast ultrasounds, breast MRIs, or imaging that uses dyes to create contrast. Cancer centers are uniquely able to provide all these services should a radiologist need more angles to get a clear view of your breast tissue.
3. You gave birth to your first child after age 30 or never carried a pregnancy to term.
Pregnancy causes hormonal changes that are thought to have a protective effect on your breast tissue. Women who do not undergo pregnancy-related changes in the breast have a higher risk of developing estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer.
Why does the age of your first pregnancy matter?
During pregnancy, breast cells will grow quickly. If there is any genetic damage in the breast cells before pregnancy, it will be copied as the cells grow. This increased genetic damage in the cells can lead to breast cancer.
The chances of having such genetic damage increases with age. This helps to explain why women who have their first child after age 30 have a higher risk of breast cancer than women who have their first child at a younger age.
Regardless of whether you have children or not, the sooner any potential breast cancer is identified, the better the possible outcome for you.
4. You have breast implants.
Having breast implants does not increase your risk of breast cancer.
However, the implants can make it more difficult to perform a mammogram, especially if a technologist doesn't see women with implants on a regular basis. The implant can obstruct views during the imaging process and it takes an experienced radiology team to get all the right angles to get you the most accurate results.
Cancer centers are familiar with performing imaging on women who have implants, especially those who have undergone breast reconstruction as part of a treatment plan and continue to get regular imaging throughout their lifetime.
Moffitt is a high-volume breast cancer center performing screening and diagnostic imaging services at 3 locations across the Tampa Bay area. Our experienced team ensures you are as comfortable as possible during your annual screening.
Breast mammogram with an implant.
5. You've had an inconclusive mammogram, even if it was a false alarm.
If you've ever been told you need to get additional imaging after an annual mammogram, you should to consider visiting a center with more expertise and advanced technology in the future.
The sense of panic that arises when you receive an inconclusive result can be very stressful. Seeking the expertise of a specialty cancer center can alleviate that sense of uncertainty for future mammograms.
Moffitt's expert breast radiology team sees all types of breast conditions and knows what to look for in your annual screening to give you the most accurate results.
Tiffany remembers learning about the importance of breast self-exams when she was in high school. It was a healthy habit she adopted early. Some 20 years later, it saved her life.
Schedule your screening mammogram
6. You’ve ever had a benign breast condition or have been diagnosed with any cancer.
Noncancerous conditions such as atypical hyperplasia and lobular carcinoma in situ may increase your risk of developing breast cancer. Regular screenings are important to your healthcare routine if you have a history of these findings.
Breast cancer can recur and there are other cancers that are associated with increased breast cancer risk. Mammograms are an important part of thriving after cancer.
7. If there are suspicious findings, you're an established patient at a cancer treatment center.
When you have any increased risk of breast cancer, getting a mammogram at a facility where you would also seek treatment can accelerate your access to a diagnosis or eventual treatment for a breast condition.
Due to the ongoing nature of treatment for cancer, many cancer centers have more appointment openings for existing patients than for new patients, which can get you in with a specialty provider quickly.
Places like Moffitt also have the expertise to know which kinds of breast conditions should be addressed immediately and which can be monitored or addressed at a more convenient time for you.
Regardless of risk, you should be getting your mammogram at Moffitt. We have the expertise to give accurate readings and when anything is suspicious, your status as an existing patient makes any transition to further testing or care easier.
Bethany Niell, MD
Division Chief of Breast Imaging
Get Accurate Results from Mammography Experts.
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8. You'll have peace of mind when an expert reads your mammogram.
Every mammogram at Moffitt Cancer Center is read by a specialized Breast Radiologist, who is not only a cancer-specific radiologist, but also a breast cancer-specific radiologist.
When you get a mammogram at a large, generic imaging center, your mammogram will likely be read by someone who is looking at a wide range of conditions that have nothing to do with cancer. Specialty radiologists like the ones at Moffitt have decades of experience reading mammograms to look for and rule out tumors in the breast.
Experience the difference of a Moffitt mammogram this year. And if you already come to Moffitt, we can't wait to see you again soon for your next annual screening mammogram.
Medically reviewed by Bethany Niell, MD, Division Chief of Breast Imaging
Best Mammogram Center
Voted "Best Mammogram Center" in the Tampa Bay Times Best of the Best People's Choice Awards.