Breast screening

I find this quite difficult every time I'm called because there seems not a great deal of evidence that screening reduces mortality from breast cancer. The Cochrane report is useful in giving the overall picture, but it seems to me that if only one life is saved in every 2,000 women screened over a 10 year period (Cochrane) then that one life may be me, so I always end up going.

In your position, I'd go. I don't think you have anything to lose and much to gain if they find something wrong and are able to treat it at an early stage.

Thanks janeainsworth for the link to the Cochrane Report. It does explain why the leaflets are worded as they are. Nobody is trying to discourage anyone from going for any of the screenings offered by the NHS. We are very lucky to have them. But it is always better to feel you have had full information before making a choice.

This was nearly 14 years ago, Jane43. There has been no reappearance of anything since. However, had I not gone for the mammogram, had I not been recalled because there was a suspicious shadow on the Xray and more tests carried out, who knows?

Elegran thank goodness for the ultrasound. I hope you are on the road to recovery.

So was my tumour, Jane43 The consultant couldn't feel it, though she was poking her bony fingers almost through to my ribs. A repeat mammogram didn't reveal it either, and it seemed it might have been a "false positive", but ultrasound finally showed it up clearly.

Janeainsworth, I agree self examination is important but in my case the tumour was deep in the tissue and would have had to grow a lot before it became palpable. There was no visible evidence of its presence other than the mammogram.

Lisagran, I’m glad you have been persuaded to go.

A point which has not been made is that whatever the findings of the mammogram, you are under no obligation to actually undertake any treatment if you don't want to! If a possible tumour is discovered, you are free to ignore it and not have it identified and removed and/or any spread prevented/treated.

As the publicity on Aids put it, "Don't die of ignorance!" - Find it and get it put right. Most cancers that are found and treated have a very good chance of successful treatment. Ones that are NOT discovered and treated have a very good chance of proving fatal.

Another recommendation that you go for the screening. I am 76 and although I didn’t find a lump, in fact it was a dent, cancer was found. I had a lumpectomy in August, and 3 weeks of radiotherapy, finishing late November.
The only reason it was discovered was because I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, and raised my arms. I thought it was a shadow.
Why did I do that? Heavens only knows, but I am so glad I did.
Please go and have your breast screening. Better safe than sorry. Good luck Lisagran

I’d definitely recommend you go. It’s not much of a procedure anyway.
I had breast cancer before I was screened, and it was caught before it had spread too far. Granted, I had symptoms but you’ve nothing to lose by going and everything to gain.
Even if it is part of research into incidence of breast cancer in older women, you would be helping in that.
Ask the radiographer when you go.

Lisa Here’s a link to the Cochrane Review
www.cochrane.org/CD001877/BREASTCA_screening-for-breast-cancer-with-mammography
Which may help you make up your mind.
I’ve declined the last two invitations but I do think self examination is important.

I went for it and cancer was detected . There was no lump no other indication cancer was there. Go for it .

annepl OK! . I almost certainly will go.

Here, they extended the age limit just as I reached the new 66 age. I hadn't been expecting to be invited, but I went, was recalled for rurther tests, and a tiny tumour was found - about the size of a coffee bean - in a duct. By the time I had surgery (a couple of weeks) it was already larger and threatening to expand beyond the duct.

Most of us are saying, "GO for the mammogram" but some people don't back us up. I assume that they are the lucky ones who have not had cause to be glad they did?

Was just thinking about this this morning. I would go. and I would pay when they stop calling if possible.
GO!

Please go, I had my last one in August last year and a small tumour of 4mm was found. I had a lumpectomy on December 13th and am due to start radiotherapy on February 18th. It would have been so easy to skip the mammogram thinking I had never had a problem before but I am very thankful that I did go.

If you ask yourself "WHY are they spending all this money and effort on screening?" the only answer that makes sense is "To save money land effort later on treating people with more advanced disease than they could have caught earlier with the screening" As the people who would be the victims of the more advanced disease, it is to our advantage to take up the offer of FREE checks. That applies to mammograms, poo sticks and any other FREE tests that are offered to us. (We have already paid for them with our taxes, so it is our money that is spent on them,. )

Useful link, shysal - thanks. And thanks for others’ comments.

I would never refuse the offer of extra screening after having come through the trauma of a very aggressive cancer 20+ yrs ago the care and after care was second to none and I would always ask for a check up if I felt anything was untoward,if you don't want your body subjected to x-rays you can always request for a blood screening to be done.

I would always go to or cooperate with any screening, however small the chances of me having the disease being screened. I would do this whether it was embarrassing, painful or any other of the excuses people use.

My father's bladder cancer was picked up in the very early stages because he always attended when invited in for an annual MOT. As a result, he was told with regular screening and treatment the disease would never kill or disable him - and indeed it didn't. He died of heart disease at the age of 92.

I am 72 and plan to ask for extra screening. I found this link interesting.
www.breastcancercare.org.uk/about-us/news-personal-stories/breast-cancer-women-over-70

Nobody should be made to feel bad if they decide to turn down screening, having ascertained the facts. I have had so many xrays on one side because of a badly broken shoulder in an accident and a dental problem that saw me shifted round various departments, that I have opted not to have any more x-rays for the time being. There is lots of advice online for those who choose not to have a mammogram so it's certainly not up to me to offer advice (and - indeed - the quality of advice from others on GN is always good) but if somebody reads the leaflets - which are a bit more honest these days - and decides for themselves not to take up the offer, I think that is acting like an adult on your own behalf and the decision, like whether to take drugs or go hillclimbing, will be the right one for you.

Thanks DoraMarr - sounds like you are a good poster girl for having the screening. You have a good positive attitude

My cancer was non- life threatening, but with the potential to spread. I had a fairly minor operation- there is always a risk.. I have had radiotherapy- again, a risk. However, the risks are negligible compared with the risk of doing nothing. I would advise having the mammogram. You may not have any symptoms, and that will be the end. Or, you may be called back, but will not have any malignant or pre cancerous cells. End of investigation. Or, you may have a tumour, and it can be removed. At each stage doctors will be able to tell you what the risks are, and you will be able to decide what you want to happen. I have put my trust in the medical profession- after all, they are the experts.
The operation was not difficult, with only minor discomfort afterwards. The radiotherapy takes 5 minutes, and is not uncomfortable.

But are there problems associated with having treatment for non life-threatening cancers?