Mammography FAQ - Pink Promise India
                     Pink Promise India
MAMMOGRAPHY FAQS
I feel healthy. Why should I screen 
myself?
• Even if you feel absolutely fine, you should get yourself 
screened at a hospital regularly for breast cancer with 
Mammography.
• Mammography is proven to be the best screening modality 
for early detection of breast cancer and you can have the best 
chance of getting completely cured.
• Feeling fine and having a health problem may not always go 
hand in hand. For example: In case of high blood pressure or 
diabetes, most patients will have no symptoms in the early 
stages. Whereas simple tests done by medical professionals 
can reveal these conditions and help manage them better.
• Similarly, early breast cancer may be asymptomatic. The 5 
year survival with localized breast cancer is as high as 93%1. 
Hence, the earlier you detect, the better is the management.
• https://www.carolmilgardbreastcenter.org/early-detection
I self-examine my breasts every 
month. Why screen?
• Self-examination of breasts is a good practice but will not help in 
early detection of breast cancer. By the time you feel the lump or 
some abnormality by your hands, it might already be too late. 
Therefore regular screening with a Mammogram will help.
There are two types of Mammography systems: A conventional 2D 
system and a more reliable 3D mammogram system which is 
proven to detect on an average 41% more cancers than 2D and also 
significantly reduce false- positives1.
In reality, with 3D mammogram, Radiologist are more confident to 
inform that you have no cancer or if any additional investigation is 
required or not.
• https://
www.umms.org/umgccc/cancer-services/cancer-types/breast/diag
nostic-treatment/3d-mammography-exams
• https://www.hologic.com/hologic-products/breast-skeletal/selenia-
dimensions-mammography-system
I have no family history of breast 
cancer. Why should I screen?
• Most women who get breast cancer have no family history at all.
Only 5- 10% of the breast cancers may be due to hereditary reasons1 i.e., women 
with family history of breast cancer among blood relatives. Such women at higher 
risk. Another small but high-risk group is if ovarian or some other type of cancer 
that has affected someone in the family of blood relatives. Therefore, having no 
family history Most women who get breast cancer have no family history at all.
Only 5- 10% of the breast cancers may be due to hereditary reasons1 i.e., women 
with family history of breast cancer among blood relatives. Such women at higher 
risk. Another small but high-risk group is if ovarian or some other type of cancer 
that has affected someone in the family of blood relatives. Therefore, having no 
family history does not offer any additional protection against breast cancer.
Regularly screening yourself at a hospital, preferably with 3D mammography 
along with the other modalities as needed – such as Ultrasound or MRI, is the only 
way you can fight breast cancer before it becomes too big to handle.
• https://www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/genetics
I eat healthy and I exercise. Why 
screen?
• Breast cancer is not comparable to a lifestyle disease like diabetes or heart 
disease. While healthy eating and exercise may reduce the risk but cannot 
prevent breast cancer. Limiting consumption of fats and alcohol, avoiding 
smoking, moderate exercise, breast feeding, etc, are known to reduce the risk 
of breast cancer (as well as other calncers). However, these measures alone 
do not guarantee that breast cancer will not occur. Despite a healthy lifestyle, 
breast cancer may still strike even if you have no family history. Wisdom lies in 
detecting it early at a stage when it is curable. Breast mammography is the 
gold standard for early detection of breast cancer in asymptomatic women, 
who has no family history of breast cancer. Annual Breast Mammography 
therefore after the age of 40 needs to be a part of your healthy lifestyle. If 
there has been a family history, you may have to start screening even earlier 
and sometimes with ultrasound and MRI too. Remember mammography 
saves lives and breast cancer can be cured if detected early.
I don’t want bad news. Why screen?
• On the contrary, regular screening delivers good news to most 
women. The incidence of breast cancer varies from 80 to 113 for 
every 100,000 people across the world. The aim of screening is to 
detect early for these 80 to 113 people and to rule out breast cancer 
in others. Secondly, 3D mammo detects not only early cancer but also 
pinpoints its location for complete removal of the tumour by biopsy. 
So, it is a much better and positive news to detect early because of 
near total cure and normal life expectancy. Scientific data shows that 
five-year survival after early detection and treatment is 96%- 100%1.
• Also remind yourself that most lumps, even if detected by 3D 
mammo, are not cancerous. Hence its always better to know for sure 
and have a sound sleep rather than pretend as if it will not happen to 
you.
• https://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/BreastFactsReferences.html
Can I request a Mammo for breast screening 
myself without a Doctor prescription?
• Yes, you can. Please check with the hospital or breast clinic facility 
whether they have 3D mammography.
• Screening for breast cancer using 3D mammography helps detect 
breast cancer much earlier and with more accuracy compared to 2D 
mammography, dramatically improving chances of complete cure.
• 3D mammography is especially beneficial in detecting small cancers in 
women with even dense breast tissues. Chances of false detection too 
are low with 3D mammography compared to 2D and other modalities.
• 3D mammography has proven to be the best in early breast cancer 
detection. In fact, more than 90% of 45,000 women in a national survey 
said they do not mind traveling an extra distance to avail 3D 
mammography after learning its benefits over the other modalities.
• Do speak with your health care provider to enquire about the 3D 
mammography facilities in your nearest locations.
Is 3D Mammo an established 
procedure?
• Yes. 3D mammogram is a US FDA approved 
technology. Its efficacy over 2D has been proven 
by numerous clinical studies which have examined 
the results in more than 1.7 million screenings.
• A 3D Mammography exam provides clearer, more 
detailed images of the breast area compared to 
conventional 2D mammography. As a result, 3D 
exams are clinically proven to detect more 
invasive cancers than 2D mammography alone.
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