It’s an x-ray. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes. It’s completely safe with a small amount of radiation.
And it could save your life.
Thanks to mammography, deaths from breast cancer have plummeted 34 percent between 1990 and 2010.[1]
For instance:[2]
- Women 50-59 who get regular mammograms are 14 percent less likely to die from breast cancer.
- Women 60-69 who get regular mammograms are 33 percent less likely to die from breast cancer.
All because mammograms detect breast cancer at earlier stages, when it is most treatable.
So let’s recap. Yes, getting your regular mammogram might be inconvenient. Yes, having your breasts squashed like a pancake isn’t nearly as much fun as a massage. But the reality is that the entire process takes just a few minutes.
Isn’t that worth it to save your life?
[1] American Cancer Society. Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2013-2014. American Cancer Society. Available at http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/content/@research/documents/document/acspc-042725.pdf. Accessed: September 26, 2019
[2] Siu AL on behalf of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for breast cancer: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Ann Intern Med. 164(4):279-96, 2016.
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