Mammogram Reminder To My Female Friends Aboard A2K

Christ, now your telling me its going to hurt!!

Montana wrote:

doc says I'm too young.

Quote:

It is recommended that women age 40 and older have regular mammograms. Age 40-50 is when the costs of mammograms, such as false-positives and economic costs, are outweighed by the benefits of cancer detection. Women in their forties should discuss the best method of screening with their health care provider. However, women 50 and older are at a much higher risk for developing breast cancer, and regular mammograms in these women have been shown to decrease mortality. Screening is important because the earlier cancer is detected the better the chances are for successful treatment and survival. When detection occurs before any spread, the five-year survival rate is 97%. After spread to the local lymph nodes, it is 76%. After metastasis to other organs, the five-year survival rate is 20%.

http://cancerquest.org/index.cfm?page=310

Montana- It is true that the breast tissue of younger women is such, that false positives occur much more often than with older women. On the other hand, I have known women in their thirties who have had breast cancer. Is the doctor at least giving you a thorough breast exam? If not, IMO, you need to try another doctor.

Here is a good article about breast cancer as it relates to younger women:

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/74/89085

Im aware that they did that but I didnt know it would hurt.Im near to puking, can we get back to mammograms.

is it the same for sexually inactive people?

Cervical Cancer

* All women should begin cervical cancer screening about 3 years after they begin having vaginal intercourse, but no later than when they are 21 years old. Screening should be done every year with the regular Pap test or every 2 years using the newer liquid-based Pap test.

* Beginning at age 30, women who have had 3 normal Pap test results in a row may get screened every 2 to 3 years. Another reasonable option for women over 30 is to get screened every 3 years (but not more frequently) with either the conventional or liquid-based Pap test, plus the HPV DNA test. Women who have certain risk factors such as diethylstilbestrol (DES) exposure before birth, HIV infection, or a weakened immune system due to organ transplant, chemotherapy, or chronic steroid use should continue to be screened annually.

* Women 70 years of age or older who have had 3 or more normal Pap tests in a row and no abnormal Pap test results in the last 10 years may choose to stop having cervical cancer screening. Women with a history of cervical cancer, DES exposure before birth, HIV infection or a weakened immune system should continue to have screening as long as they are in good health.

* Women who have had a total hysterectomy (removal of the uterus and cervix) may also choose to stop having cervical cancer screening, unless the surgery was done as a treatment for cervical cancer or precancer. Women who have had a hysterectomy without removal of the cervix should continue to follow the guidelines above.

material girl wrote:

is it the same for sexually inactive people?

I don't think being sexually active has anything to do with it. As far as I know, sex doesn't cause cancer.

Montana wrote:

material girl wrote:

is it the same for sexually inactive people?

I don't think being sexually active has anything to do with it. As far as I know, sex doesn't cause cancer.

The prevalence of HPV and the potential of HPV to cause cervical changes which, if left untreated, can progress to cancer is the reason behind the sexual activity recommendation.

It was the older recommendation; I think these came out in 2003. Some docs feel keeping everything on an annual routine will help keep it from being forgotten.