"What Every Woman Should Know about Mammograms"

June 22, 1999

Dr. Eliza Pile-Spellman, Associate Professor of Radiology at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, is here to discuss "What Every Woman Should Know about Mammograms."

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HomeArts: Welcome to the third in a series of breast cancer information chats brought to you by the National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations (NABCO), the leading nonprofit resource for information and education on breast cancer. Today, we welcome Dr. Eliza Pile-Spellman, Associate Professor of Radiology at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. Dr. Pile-Spellman is here to discuss "What Every Woman Should Know about Mammograms." Welcome Dr. Pile-Spellman.

Dr. Pile-Spellman: Thank you.

Shelby28: At what age should I have my first mammogram?

Dr. Pile-Spellman: The age that you should have your first mammogram partly depends on whether you have a family history of breast cancer. If you have a mother or a sister that has pre-menopausal breast cancer, we generally recommend a mammogram starting 5 years before the age that they were diagnosed. For example if your mother was diagnosed at 35, generally we start screening at age 30. If a woman has no family history of breast cancer, or a relative who has breast cancer at a later age, we generally recommend screening starting at age 40.

Ruby: How is a mammogram done?

Dr. Pile-Spellman: Ruby, generally if it's a screening mammogram, meaning that the person has no symptoms, we do 2 views of each breast. If the person has had a previous mammogram, it's important that we have it to compare because we're looking for change.

Minxx: How often do I need to have a mammogram?

Dr. Pile-Spellman: Minxx, generally we recommend yearly. Now whether or not your insurance company pays for it depends entirely on the company. You should check with your company.

Sabrina: How safe are mammograms?

Dr. Pile-Spellman: Sabrina, mammograms are very safe. Usually what people worry about is the radiation dose, and the dose from a routine mammogram is less than the radiation someone would get traveling from NY to San Francisco on an airplane receiving background cosmic radiation.

Nani75: I'm 75 years old. Do I still need to go for regular mammograms?

Dr. Pile-Spellman: Nani75, yes, because the incidence of breast cancer actually increases with increasing age, so it's just as important to go when you're 75 as when you're younger. We're trying to find breast cancer when it's small and curable.

SuzeeQ: Why does it take so long to get my results?

Dr. Pile-Spellman: Many times two radiologists will look at the mammogram so they're double read. We've found that we're able to pick up more cancers if two people look at your films, so of course that takes more time. We feel that that's important to try to do.

WhyMeLrd: Does a mammogram have to be painful to be effective?

Dr. Pile-Spellman: No. The technologists are taught to compress until the breast is compressed firmly. The better the compression, the lower the radiation dose and the better the picture. Different people perceive pain differently and for most people the mammogram is not painful. If someone finds that it is painful for them, one thing that can be helpful is to come in after your period, when the breasts tend to be the least tender.

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