Dr Shashta Sawh
Breast physician, Pink Hibiscus
Breast Health Specialist
This seems to be the million-dollar question perched on the lips of many women coming into Pink Hibiscus.As a breast physician, I have encountered numerous women uncertain about what breast screening is all about and whether they should be screened or not.
Whilst T&T does not have a national breast screening programme as in North America and UK, it does not and should not negate the fact that breast screening is very important in a population such as ours where this cancer seems to be affecting a younger age group than is normally expected. In the clinic we have assessed and managed a wide age group of women with breast cancer, with many lying in the younger spectrum of age.
Screening entails assessing that group of women over 40 who has no breast concerns or problems termed asymptomatic, or the "well" woman when it comes to breast health. It uses the screening tool mammohraphy (X-ray of the breast tissue) to look for breast cancer in its earliest stages, even as early as stage zero or in pre-cancer stage.
Whilst screening helps identify these cancers, it is important to note that breast screening does not prevent the cancer from occurring but is geared to reveal its abnormality as early as possible. By using mammography for early detection, it allows these women to be given the option of many different types of treatments which may be less harsh and drastic than if detected late. Many of these treatments for early-stage breast cancer can mean a cure for these women. Ultimately this lends itself to a far better prognosis and saves more lives.
Some women also appear apprehensive about the "hearsay" that x-rays from mammogram machines can cause breast cancer and therefore prefer to abstain from having this very important test performed. However, this is not so. There is no scientific evidence to prove this. The amount of radiation used in newer digital machines are extremely low.
The risk of not having your mammogram performed and not detecting a cancer is far more detrimental than not having this imaging performed. Your doctor may advise on supplementing the screening mammogram with additional scans such as an ultrasound or MRI as needed. The additional modalities can enhance the detection in patients.
Pain experienced by mammography is yet another well-known deterrent from having this test done. Too many patients at the clinic report their painful experiences with the older mammogram machines at other centres. But as technology has advanced and improved the digital mammogram is now attainable at specialist breast units and has many advantages. For the patient, compression on digital mammogram machines are less, meaning the breast is not held so firmly to result in pain.
So the answer to that well-known question is to indeed get yourself screened with annual mammograms from the age of 40. The benefit of screening can save your life.