September 8, 2023
By Kaitlin Poulton, Drexel University College of Medicine
There are many common misconceptions about mammograms. Social media has served as a platform for the propagation of misinformation for many years. Though various organizations have tried to reduce misinformation on social media, it is essential to debunk the common misconceptions about screening mammograms.
MYTH: Screening mammograms have dangerous levels of radiation.
One concern that has been voiced regards the danger of screening mammograms. Some believe that this exam can expose them to high levels of radiation. Current screening practices utilize modern-day scanners to ensure levels of radiation exposure are extremely low. To better understand the general amount of exposure, we are typically exposed to a small amount of radiation from our surrounding environment (about 3 mSv) each year. During a screening mammogram, patients, on average, are exposed to the amount of radiation they would experience in their surrounding environment over two months (0.4 mSv). Though this may pose a minimal risk to patients, these risks are greatly outweighed by the benefits of screening mammography. Notably, introducing screening mammography resulted in a 25-30% reduction in breast cancer deaths.
MYTH: If I have no symptoms and don’t have a family history of breast cancer, I don’t need a screening mammogram.
I was interested to discover that about 75-80% of patients diagnosed with breast cancer have no known family history. While a family history of breast cancer can increase your risk, screening mammograms are still crucial for those without family history. Additionally, screening guidelines recommend yearly mammograms for women aged 40 and older, even if they are not experiencing symptoms. This test aims to detect breast cancer early before many patients experience any symptoms. While these numbers vary based on several factors, for many patients, if breast cancer is detected early, patients have a 99% survival rate. In comparison, later-stage cancer has an associated survival rate of about 30%.
MYTH: Mammograms do not produce accurate results.
Many have the common misconception that mammogram results are inaccurate. Maybe they were called back for additional testing and eventually told this testing was negative, or they were told their mammogram was clear, only to be told a year later that they have breast cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, about 20% of cancers are missed by standard mammography. Many factors play a role in these false negative diagnoses, including breast density. Current research is exploring screening options for women with extremely dense breasts to reduce the rates of false negative screening exams. Additionally, it is essential to note some types of breast cancers are highly aggressive. Hence, it is possible to have a negative screening mammogram one year before diagnosis, highlighting the importance of annual mammograms after age 40.
Sources/Resources:
- Biancovilli, P., Makszin, L., & Csongor, A. (2021). Breast cancer on social media: a quali- quantitative study on the credibility and content type of the most shared news stories. BMC women's health, 21(1), 202. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-021-01352-y.
- Seaman, K., Dzidic, P. L., Castell, E., Saunders, C., & Breen, L. J. (2018). A Systematic Review of Women's Knowledge of Screening Mammography. Breast (Edinburgh, Scotland), 42, 81–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.breast.2018.08.102.
- Lee C. H. (2002). Screening mammography: proven benefit, continued controversy. Radiologic clinics of North America, 40(3), 395–407. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0033- 8389(01)00015-x.
- American Cancer Society. Survival rates for breast cancer. American Cancer Society. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/understanding-a-breast-cancer- diagnosis/breast-cancer-survival-rates.html. Published March 1, 2023. Accessed April 15, 2023.
- National Cancer Institue, ed. Mammogram Fact Sheet. National Cancer Institute. https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/mammograms-fact-sheet#what-are-the-benefits-and- potential-harms-of-screening-mammograms. Published February 1, 2023. Accessed April 15, 2023.