Breast Cancer Awareness Month: The Truth About Mammograms and Health Screenings
9 Minutes
Team Curative
Oct 3, 2024
It is estimated that over 360,000 Americans will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2024. A breast cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming, but there’s hope—survival rates have significantly improved, thanks to early detection breakthrough treatments. When caught at its earliest, localized stages, the 5-year relative survival rate of breast cancer is an incredible 99%.
The key to catching it early? Regular visits to your primary care doctor to ensure that you receive the proper health screenings at the right time to detect breast cancer in its earliest stages. Breast cancers found during health screenings are typically smaller than other cancers and are less likely to spread outside the breast. The size of breast cancer and how far it has spread are some of the most critical factors in predicting the prognosis for a person with this disease.
Preventive care is critical to early detection of breast cancer. Regular visits to your primary care doctor include health screenings and education that empower you better to understand your risks and aid in early detection.
Breast cancer facts
Every year, breast cancer accounts for about 30% of all new cancer cases in US women.
Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in US women, second only to lung cancer.
About 66% of breast cancer cases are diagnosed at a localized stage when it is easiest to treat.
About one out of eight invasive breast cancers are diagnosed in women younger than 45.
About two out of three invasive breast cancers are found in women 55 or older.
A woman’s risk of breast cancer nearly doubles if she has a first-degree relative who has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
About 5% to 10% of breast cancers are linked to known gene mutations inherited from one’s mother or father.
Breast cancer diagnosis in men is rare, but about 2,790 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in men, and about 530 will die from breast cancer yearly.
Racial and ethnic disparities exist in breast cancer incidence and death rates. Black women are more likely to die from breast cancer than women of any other racial or ethnic group, and breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death for Black women in the US. Hispanic women have a 20% lower incidence rate of breast cancer than other groups, but it's the leading cause of death among these women. Ashkenazi Jewish women have a higher risk of breast cancer because of a higher rate of specific gene mutations.
Early detection is key
There are currently four million breast cancer survivors in the US. These survivors were diagnosed, treated, and recovered, and live cancer-free. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, “women who receive regular screenings for breast cancer have a 26% lower breast cancer death rate than women who do not receive screenings.”
Preventive care for breast cancer promotes early detection and includes:
Breast self-awareness. Knowing how your breasts typically look and feel empowers you to detect changes. If you discover any of the following, contact your doctor: lumps, leaky fluid, swelling, skin irritation or dimpling, nipple pain, redness, or flaking.
Clinical Breast Exams (CBE). Women aged 29-39 should have a CBE performed by a healthcare provider every one to three years, and after age 40, they should have one every year.
Mammograms. Women 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year. Women 55 and older can switch to a mammogram every other year, or they can choose to continue yearly mammograms.
What is breast density and why does it matter?
Dense breast tissue refers to a higher proportion of fibroglandular, or dense, tissue compared to fatty breast tissue. Dense breast tissue is a common condition and is not initially a cause for concern. However, it makes breast cancer harder to detect during mammograms, since both dense tissue and cancer appear white, and it indicates an increased risk of breast cancer.
Approximately 50% of all women who undergo mammograms have dense breasts. The levels of breast density are:
Level A: The breasts are almost entirely made up of fatty tissue and with very little dense breast tissue.
Level B: The breasts are mostly made up of fatty tissue but there are some scattered areas of dense fibroglandular breast tissue.
Level C: Most of the breast tissue is heterogeneous dense breast tissue with some areas of fatty tissue.
Level D: All of the breast is made up of extremely dense breast tissue with very little fatty tissue.
Doctors recommend that women with Level C and D breast tissue seek additional screening options, such as 3D mammograms, ultrasounds, or MRIs, especially if they have other risk factors, like family history. These screenings can improve detection rates, and patients are encouraged to discuss specific risks and screening strategies with healthcare professionals to determine the best approach to detection.
Mammogram myths dispelled
Despite recent innovations in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, myths persist, particularly about mammograms. Here are common myths about mammograms:
Myth 1: Women without a family history of breast cancer do not need to receive yearly mammograms.
Truth: All women over 40 should receive an annual screening to ensure early detection and a favorable prognosis. Typically starting at age 30, women with a family history of breast cancer or suspect dense breast tissue are recommended to begin screenings.
Myth 2: Mammograms expose people to unsafe levels of radiation.
Truth: The radiation dose from a mammogram is equal to about two months of the background radiation present in everyday life.
Myth 3: A 3D mammogram is the same as a traditional mammogram.
Truth: 3D mammograms are painless screenings that yield a 40% increase in detecting early cancer and a 40% decrease in false alarms or unnecessary recalls from screening.
Myth 4: A mammogram is guaranteed to find any type of cancer in a person’s breast tissue.
Truth: Mammograms aren’t perfect. Particularly for women with dense breast tissue, more health screenings may be prescribed, including a breast ultrasound or a breast MRI.
Myth 5: A routine mammogram for one year means you can skip the following year.
Truth: Mammography serves to detect cancer, not prevent it. Yearly exams are critical to early detection.
Myth 6: A person cannot receive a mammogram without a referral from a provider.
Truth: You can self-request a mammogram, even if your provider hasn’t mentioned it.
Breast cancer screening guidelines
The American Cancer Society recommends these breast health screening guidelines:
Women between 40 and 44 can choose to have a mammogram every year.
Women 45 to 54 should have yearly mammograms.
Women 55 and older can continue yearly mammograms or switch to every other year.
Screening should continue as long as a woman is in good health and is expected to live at least ten more years.
Curative: preventive care that supports breast cancer detection and treatment
Curative is a new kind of employer-sponsored health insurance based on affordability, engagement, and simplicity. With Curative, you can establish care with a primary care doctor or other specialist who can diagnose, treat, and monitor your breast health. Curative healthcare plans prioritize preventive care to support you in living your healthiest life.
Curative’s Baseline Visit is the first step in your healthcare journey. During this visit, you’ll gain a better understanding of your benefits and have the opportunity to build an individualized, preventive care plan. Through its extensive network of providers, Curative makes it easy for members to establish a relationship with a primary care doctor and get the preventive care they need, including mammograms, other diagnostic tests, and treatment.
There are no out-of-pocket costs with Curative and members who complete a Baseline Visit can continue to enjoy $0 copays and $0 deductibles. This includes preventive healthcare, doctor visits, telehealth, and pharmacy benefits.
Curative connects each member with an assigned Care Navigator for support throughout their healthcare journey. Your Care Navigator can connect you with a local provider and specialist, connect you to preventive care programs, guide you through paperwork, and serve as a resource to help you navigate breast cancer detection and treatment.
Curative wants people to love using their health benefits. Learn more today about how Curative makes it easy to get health screenings and other preventive care that supports your healthiest life.
Resources
American Cancer Society Recommendations for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer. (19 Dec 2023). https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/breast-cancer/screening-tests-and-early-detection/american-cancer-society-recommendations-for-the-early-detection-of-breast-cancer.html
The Mayo Clinic. (9 March, 2024) Dense breast tissue: What it means to have dense breasts. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/mammogram/in-depth/dense-breast-tissue/art-20123968
Breast Cancer Facts & Stats. (1 Aug 2024). https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-facts/
Breast Cancer Facts and Statistics. (2024).
https://www.breastcancer.org/facts-statistics
Breast Health: 3-Step Plan for Preventive Care. (2024). https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/breast-health-preventive-care
Zeb, Sarah. (2024). 6 Mammogram Myths. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/breast-cancer/6-mammogram-myths
American Cancer Society. Breast Density and Your Mammogram Report. (September, 2024.) https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/breast-cancer/screening-tests-and-early-detection/mammograms/breast-density-and-your-mammogram-report.html
American Cancer Society. American Cancer Society Recommendations for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer. (December, 2023) https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/breast-cancer/screening-tests-and-early-detection/american-cancer-society-recommendations-for-the-early-detection-of-breast-cancer.html