Breast Implants and Mammograms

Jul 27, 2010 by admin

Breast Cancer is something that hits home for me. My aunt died shortly having a double mastectomy. So the question is what can we learn from the mistakes of others?

First, weather or not you are considering Breast Augmentation or Reduction, a Mammogram should be as important as you annual Pap Smear. The truth is that a mammogram (breast X-ray) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can save your life, so follow your doctor’s advice regarding breast cancer detection.

Breast Implants add to the avoidance of some people have a Mammogram. So reason that smaller breast have a lower risk of developing breast cancer. FALSE! and they reason the only reason my breast are larger is due to the implants so there is no need to get a Mammogram. FALSE! If you have implants, you may need some extra photos taken during your mammogram, and there is a slight risk of implant rupture, but mammograms are still the best way to detect breast cancer in its early, most treatable stages.

Here are the medical age guidelines on when and how often you should get a mammogram:

20′s & 30′s every 3 years. 40+ every year.

You should do a self monthly breast self-exam.

both sets of recommendations are only directed at women who are at average risk for breast cancer.

Women at high risk for breast cancer should begin getting magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams and mammograms starting at age 30.

Learn more about those high risk factors for breast cancer here. You can also visit the National Breast Cancer site for more info. Also Women with African Descent are at risk for the most deadliest form of breast cancer, Triple Negative Breast Cancer, and as I have learned many “White” women are unaware of their African ancestors and found out through DNA testing and lots of digging into their family tree. So it is always wise to be aware and see your doctor regularly

Mammograms and Your Breast Implants

The recommended screening guidelines for women who have had breast augmentation with breast implants solely for cosmetic reasons are the same as those for women who do not have breast implants. They do not necessarily apply to breast cancer survivors who get breast implants following breast reconstruction. These women may or may not need routine mammograms based on the extent of their surgery. For example, some women who receive an implant after a wide lumpectomy (removal of the tumor) may still need screening. Breast cancer screening should be individually tailored to each woman who has previously had breast cancer surgery. Local recurrence and new breast cancer can both occur in the breast or area of the breast where surgery was performed.

If you have a family history of breast cancer, you should discuss it with your physician before undergoing breast augmentation. He or she may ask you to have a mammogram before your breast augmentation with breast implants to ensure that your breasts are healthy. This will also provide a baseline picture of your breasts. This is important because breast implants can obscure the mammogram images, decreasing the radiologist’s ability to identify early breast cancer. Still, mammograms are an effective way to screen for breast cancer in women with breast implants.

If you have silicone breast implants, you will need to have an MRI of your breasts three years postoperative, then every two years, to check for ruptures. If a silicone implant ruptures, it is not immediately evident because the silicone gel leaks out slowly, but as discussed in the Cohesive Implant Article, your are not at risk for a gel leak when using a Cohesive or Gummie Breast Implant.

Breast Implants and Mammograms

Related Posts

Tags

Share This

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Adsense

Adsense

Adsense