Mammography

Mammography is a low-dose X-ray of the breast. It is the best-studied tool for detecting breast cancer early — often years before a lump can be felt. Since breast cancer is now the commonest cancer in Indian urban women, knowing when and how to be screened matters.

Who should consider mammography and when

• Average-risk women: from age 40-45, every 1-2 years until 70-75.
• Strong family history / BRCA gene carriers: earlier and more frequent screening, often with MRI; start at least 10 years before the earliest cancer in a close relative.
• Symptomatic women (lump, skin change, nipple discharge/retraction) — any age. This is diagnostic mammography, not screening.
• Post-breast-conservation cancer patients — as advised by their oncology team.

What to expect

• Each breast is briefly compressed between two plates for a few seconds per view; usually 2-4 views per side.
• Uncomfortable for 10-20 seconds; not a long procedure.
• Avoid deodorant/talc/perfume on the day — they can show up on images.
• Best done 7-10 days after a period (breasts are less tender then); any time for postmenopausal women.
• You get the report within a day or two; any abnormality is followed up with an ultrasound or biopsy.

Limitations and cautions

• Dense breasts — common in younger Indian women — make mammography less sensitive. Adding ultrasound or MRI helps.
• False positives — lead to anxiety and further tests; often resolve with a focused ultrasound.
• False negatives — rare, but a new lump deserves evaluation even after a recent normal mammogram.
• Radiation dose is very low; the benefit of detection outweighs the risk for screening.
• Pregnant? — tell the radiographer; the study is usually deferred or shielded.

Alongside mammography

• Breast self-awareness — know your breasts; note any new lump, skin change, nipple change, or discharge.
• Clinical breast examination — by a Health Expert, periodically.
• Risk-factor control — healthy weight, physical activity, limit alcohol, breastfeeding when you have children, avoid long-term hormone therapy unless clearly needed.

Breast cancer found early is largely curable. Screening is available at many government and private centres across India; costs range widely. Don't wait for a lump — by then, the cancer is usually larger than the one a mammogram would have found.