Thread by @AskAwayHealth

Welcome to Day2 of our #BeatingBreastCancer series.
Today - What’s a #Mammogram?
#thread
Simply, it’s an X-Ray of the breasts used to detect changes in the breast that may indicate cancer.
It’s used as a screening method in some countries... 1/#BreastCancerAwarenessMonth 💞

- that means - before a woman develops ANY signs of cancer, the X-Ray can find breast changes suggesting #BreastCancer.
In the UK, it’s given every 3 years after a woman is 50y till she is 70y.
#BreastCancerAwarnessMonth 💞
#BeatingBreastCancer
Nigeria has no formal program.
2/

There are some other women for whom a #Mammogram is useful for screening outside the age limits and regardless of age, all women are encouraged to continue performing regular self breast examination (BSE) 3/.
#BreastCancerAwarenessMonth 💞#BeatingBreastCancer

In a woman with a close family history of breast cancer, performing regular BSE and mammogram (before age 50) every 3 years could help with early detection of breast changes that indicate cancer.
#BreastCancerAwarenessMonth 💞
#BeatingBreastCancer
4/

Close family history - includes one of the following relatives who has been diagnosed with breast cancer:
✨Mother
✨Grandmother
✨Sister
(Fathers or male relatives with breast Ca can also be included)
#BreastCancerAwarenessMonth 💞
#BeatingBreastCancer
5/

During the #mammogram, 2 X-rays are taken of each breast (one from the top and another from the side).
The films are usually interpreted better in older women so as a rule....
#BreastCancerAwarenessMonth 💞
#BeatingBreastCancer
6/

...women under 40-50y who have a lower cancer risk do not get mammograms - unless they have a strong family history or have other risks (like being very overweight).
#BreastCancerAwarenessMonth 💞
#BeatingBreastCancer
7/

Early detection of breast cancer is key.

‘Almost all women diagnosed with breast cancer at the earliest possible stage survive for at least 5 years after diagnosis and are likely to be cured.’

CancerResearchUK

#BeatingBreastCancer
💞
#BreastCancerAwarenessMonth

Final points:
📎Not every woman with a family history of #breastcancer will develop it.
📎#Mammograms expose women to radiation (which can also CAUSE cancer) but the amount of radiation is very small...
#BeatingBreastCancer 💞
#BreastCancerAwarenessMonth

...📎There are also issues with over-diagnosis.
But as this 2015 study shows, if Nigeria develops a structured Breast screening program, more lives would be saved.
sciencedirect.com/science/articl…
💞
#BeatingBreastCancer
#BreastCancerAwarenessMonth

Stay tuned all month for more thoughts and experiences on #BeatingBreastCancer #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth 💞@drweyoms @DrTybaba @Drugmed1

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