Mammography remains the gold standard screening technique and offers an effective means of early detection of breast cancer. While most women know that they should have a mammogram at some point in their lives, there is still some confusion about it. We therefore list the facts versus the myths here.
Myth – A mammogram can only detect signs of cancer when it is too late to treat it. A mammogram can be used as the gold standard in breast cancer diagnosis and it can detect cancer cells years before physical symptoms develop in the breast.
Truth – A mammogram is uncomfortable. A mammogram is uncomfortable when performed, although this discomfort is short-lived. New technology has reduced the discomfort and painful sensation women experience when undergoing mammography.
Myth – A mammogram causes cancer by radiation. Repeated X-rays are dangerous to health. However, mammography uses a very low level of radiation. The danger of this radiation level is very small and the benefits of mammography outweigh the risks.
Myth – Breast self-exam can replace mammography. Self-examination is very important in the early detection of lumps and other abnormal physical appearance of the breast. However, it cannot replace mammography. Studies have shown that breast self-examination alone is not enough to reduce breast cancer deaths.
Truth A mammogram can make the difference between life and death. Mammography is the gold standard for detecting breast cancer. It can make the difference between getting breast cancer early or when it's too late.
Myth – Only women over 50 are allowed to have a mammogram. That is the case in the Netherlands, but
international guidelines advise that every woman over the age of 40 should have an annual mammogram. Women with a family history of breast cancer should have a mammogram 5 years earlier than the youngest age diagnosis in the family.
