Learning about Life-Saving Mammograms
- Real Housewives of Atlanta star Cynthia Bailey, 55, recently shared that her mother was breast cancer free after surgery and radiation. Her cancer was caught early during a routine mammogram.
- Screening for breast cancer is typically done via mammogram. The American Cancer Society (ACS) says women should begin yearly mammogram screening for breast cancer at age 45 if they are at average risk for breast cancer. The ACS also says those aged 40-44 have the option to start screening with a mammogram every year, and women age 55 and older can switch to a mammogram every other year, or they can choose to continue yearly mammograms.
- If you are at a higher risk for developing breast cancer, you should begin screening earlier. Risk factors for breast cancer include: being a woman, age, family history of breast cancer or a genetic mutation such as BRCA, having had a prior biopsy on an abnormal area, radiation exposure, lifetime estrogen exposure, not having a child before age 30 or never having children, obesity, drinking alcohol and lack of exercise.
- Signs and symptoms of breast cancer can include a breast lump or thickening that feels different from the surrounding tissue; a change in the size, shape or appearance of a breast; changes to the skin over the breast such as dimpling; developing a newly inverted nipple; peeling, scaling, crusting or flaking of the pigmented area of skin surrounding the nipple (areola) or breast skin; and redness or pitting of the skin over your breast like the skin of an orange.
Watching someone you love fight a battle with cancer can be heartbreaking. But thankfully for Bailey, her mother, Barbara Ford Morris, caught her breast cancer early.
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“For everyone that has been asking for an update on my mom @barbarafmorris cancer journey, i am so excited to let you all know that today was her last day of radiation, and she is by the grace of God cancer free!!!” Bailey wrote on Nov. 22, 2022. “Thanksgiving came early.
“Thank you all for your love, prayers & well wishes! glory be to God!”
Cynthia Bailey's Mother Faces Breast Cancer
Barbara Ford Morris was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year after something popped up on a mammogram.
"She didn't feel anything but it showed up on her most recent mammogram," Bailey wrote in another Instagram post. "By the grace of God, we caught it early & it is only stage one."
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Morris underwent a lumpectomy just the other day to remove her cancer, and Bailey's fans got an update on the same day as her surgery.
"Thank you for all the love, phone calls, texts and prayers everyone," Bailey wrote under a picture of her sitting by her mother's hospital bed. "My mother @barbarafmorris is a little anxious & nervous but otherwise in good spirits mentally and emotionally.
"Her blood pressure was too high to operate when they prepped her but thankfully they were able to get it down before the surgery. now we pray and wait."
Thankfully, Morris' surgery went well. In another post from August, Bailey shared that the operation was “successful.”
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"We did have some issues with her blood pressure being too high at the beginning & at the end of the surgery but by the grace of God her doctor & her amazing team at #emoryhospital were able to get everything under control," Bailey explained.
From there, she rested and recovered ahead of radiation treatments which, as we reported above, did the trick! Morris, thankfully, did not need chemotherapy.
Learning about Mammograms
Cynthia Bailey is right to urge women to prioritize their mammograms. As we saw in the case above, making them a routine event can lead to earlier detection and a better prognosis.
Screening for breast cancer is typically done via mammogram, which looks for lumps in the breast tissue and signs of cancer. The American Cancer Society (ACS) says women should begin yearly mammogram screening for breast cancer at age 45 if they are at average risk for breast cancer. The ACS also says those aged 40-44 have the option to start screening with a mammogram every year, and women age 55 and older can switch to a mammogram every other year, or they can choose to continue yearly mammograms.
When You're Getting a Mammogram, Ask About Dense Breasts
For screening purposes, a woman is considered to be at average risk if she doesn't have a personal history of breast cancer, a strong family history of breast cancer, a genetic mutation known to increase risk of breast cancer such as a BRCA gene mutation or a medical history including chest radiation therapy before the age of 30. Beyond genetics, family history and experience with radiation therapy, experiencing menstruation at an early age (before 12) or having dense breasts can also put you into a high-risk category. If you are at a higher risk for developing breast cancer, you should begin screening earlier.
In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, Dr. Connie Lehman, chief of the Breast Imaging Division at Massachusetts General Hospital, said people who hadn't reached menopause yet should prioritize getting a mammogram every year.
When Should I Get a Mammogram?
"We know that cancers grow more rapidly in our younger patients, and having that annual mammogram can be lifesaving," Dr. Lehman said. "After menopause, it may be perfectly acceptable to reduce that frequency to every two years. But what I'm most concerned about is the women who haven't been in for a mammogram for two, three or four years, those women that have never had a mammogram. We all agree regular screening mammography saves lives."
It's also important to be on top of self breast exams. If you ever feel a lump in your breast, you should be vigilant and speak with your doctor right away. Voicing your concerns as soon as you have them can lead to earlier cancer detection which, in turn, can lead to better outcomes.
Understanding Your Breast Cancer Risk
The risk of developing breast cancer varies greatly from person to person, so it's important to discuss your specific risk level with your doctor. That being said, there are some important risk factors to keep in mind.
Major Reduction in Cancer Risk by Following Old Standbys Diet and Exercise
In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, Dr. Elizabeth Comen, a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, laid out several risk factors for breast cancer including:
- Being a woman: Women are at a higher risk for breast cancer, though men can get the disease too.
- Age: "Breast cancer becomes increasingly more common as women age," Dr. Comen said.
- Family history: "Some people think that breast cancer is only inherited through genes on the mom's side,' Dr. Comen said. "But it can also be related to genetic mutations that could be found on the father's side."
- Having had a prior biopsy on an abnormal area: "There are different markers, that if a woman has had a biopsy, it's important that she talk to her doctor about whether those markers are lending themselves to an increased risk of breast cancer," Dr. Comen said. If you've had a biopsy that indicated atypical hyperplasia, for example, you are at an increased risk of breast cancer. Atypical hyperplasia isn't cancer, but it is a precancerous condition that describes an accumulation of abnormal cells in the milk ducts and lobules of the breast.
- Radiation exposure: Cancer survivors who've had radiation to their chest are at an increased risk of breast cancer.
- Lifetime estrogen exposure: "About 2/3 of breast cancer are driven by the hormone estrogen," Dr. Comen said. "So, that means if a woman has had her period at an early age and started to go through puberty at an early age, at seven, eight, nine, and potentially a later age of menopause, means that her lifetime of having had menstrual periods and being exposed to higher levels of estrogen is higher, and therefore her risk of breast cancer is slightly higher."
- Not having a child before age 30 or never having children
- Obesity
- Drinking alcohol
- Lack of exercise: "While there's more research to be done in this area, it looks like if a woman is not exercising, she may also increase her risk for breast cancer," Dr. Comen said.
Alcohol Can Increase the Risk of Developing Breast Cancer
Know the Signs of Breast Cancer
It's always important to stay on top of any changes to your health and address them promptly. Signs and symptoms of breast cancer can include the following:
- A breast lump or thickening that feels different from the surrounding tissue
- Change in the size, shape or appearance of a breast
- Changes to the skin over the breast, such as dimpling
- A newly inverted nipple
- Peeling, scaling, crusting or flaking of the pigmented area of skin surrounding the nipple (areola) or breast skin
- Redness or pitting of the skin over your breast, like the skin of an orange
It's important to keep an eye out for these symptoms while remembering that having one or many of them does not necessarily mean you have breast cancer. Regardless, you should always speak with a doctor right away if anything ever feels off or you're experiencing one or more of the signs listed above. You never know when speaking up about your health can lead to a very important diagnosis.
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