The pink ribbons return every October. The reminders about breast cancer may feel familiar, but the month offers a reason to stop and ask: Do you know which changes to watch for? And are you keeping up with mammograms?
Protecting your breast health involves both. Mammograms can find cancers before you can feel them, while noticing changes in your breasts can help identify problems between screenings.
When Should You get a Mammogram?
For women at average risk, age 40 is the starting point in recommendations from major medical organizations. Where the advice differs is how often to get screened.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends mammograms every other year from ages 40 through 74. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends beginning at 40, with screening every one or two years.
The American Cancer Society gives women ages 40–44 the option of annual mammograms, recommends them annually from 45–54, and allows women 55 and older to switch to every other year or continue annually. www.acog.org
Discuss your personal risk and screening schedule with your health professional. A strong family history, certain inherited gene changes or previous chest radiation may mean you need earlier screening or additional tests. Decisions about continuing screening after 74 should also be individualized. www.cancer.org
Look Beyond a Lump
A new lump is a familiar warning sign, but it is not the only one. Cleveland Clinic’s breast-health guidance encourages women to notice changes such as:
- A new lump, thickening or hardened area in the breast or underarm.
- A change in a breast’s usual size, shape or contour.
- Skin dimpling, puckering, redness, swelling or scaling.
- A nipple that newly turns inward.
- Unusual nipple discharge, particularly clear or bloody fluid.
Most breast changes are not cancer. Still, a new or unusual change deserves medical attention. Do not wait for your next mammogram—or until you reach screening age—to report it. A recent normal mammogram also does not mean you should ignore a new symptom. www.mayoclinic.org
What Happened to Monthly Self-exams?
Many women grew up hearing they should perform a careful breast examination every month.
Today, the American Cancer Society and ACOG do not recommend formal, scheduled self-exams as routine screening for women at average risk. Research has not shown that they reduce breast cancer deaths, and they can lead to unnecessary testing and biopsies. www.acog.org
Instead, the emphasis is on breast self-awareness: knowing how your breasts normally look and feel so you can recognize a change. There is no required day or examination pattern. Some providers, including Cleveland Clinic, still encourage monthly checks, so advice may vary. www.acog.org
Whatever approach you use, checking your breasts cannot replace mammograms. This October, take a moment to review your screening schedule—and speak up if something has changed.