Inspiring Others to be Vigilant About Breast Cancer Screening
- A woman in England miraculously won a lottery jackpot for more than $1 million just as she was nearing the end of treatment for breast cancer.
- Now, she wants to use her story to raise awareness for other women to be vigilant about health and keep up with things like breast cancer screening.
- Current guidelines in the U.S. suggest that women ages 45 to 54 should have annual mammograms to screen for breast cancer, while women over 55 can get them bi-annually.
- While there’s some disagreement about frequency and when to start screening, professionals agree that regular mammograms are crucial.
Lloyd, who works as an occupational therapist, according to the Daily Mail, said that she decided to play the Mega Cash Showdown Instant Win game one evening when she was up late watching over her partner, who was recovering from a chest infection. She said she didn’t really understand the game and naturally, assumed not much would come of it. Then, as she was nearing the end of her breast cancer treatment she was notified that more than $1 million was being deposited into her bank account.
Read MoreBreast Cancer Screening Guidelines
Currently in the U.S., there is a general consensus that women should get mammograms to screen for breast cancer every year when they are between the ages of 45 and 54. Women between the ages of 40 and 45 may want to speak to their doctors about their risk factors and begin annual screening early. After age 55, women should continue screening every two years until age 74, when risk can be assessed again.
Dr. Connie Lehman explains breast cancer screening guidelines.
“If you haven’t gone through menopause yet, I think it’s very important that you have a mammogram every year,” Dr. Connie Lehman, Chief of the Breast Imaging Division at Massachusetts General Hospital, told SurvivorNet in a previous conversation. “We know that cancers grow more rapidly in our younger patients, and having that annual mammogram can be lifesaving. After menopause, it may be perfectly acceptable to reduce that frequency to every two years.”
Some women may have an increased risk of developing breast cancer due to their family history, so mammograms may need to begin earlier. There is some disagreement among professionals about which exact age average risk women should begin getting screened, but one thing that everyone can agree on is that regular screening is crucial.
Dr. Elizabeth Comen explains what happens when a lump or something else suspicious is detected during a mammogram.
“We all agree regular screening mammography saves lives,” Dr. Lehman said. “Every doctor that I know, every organization that I know really encourages women to have a mammogram. I want to be completely clear. If you are between 50 and 74 and you have not had a mammogram in the last two years, you are overdue.”
Aside from a regular screening schedule, if you noticed anything like a lump or hard spot in your breasts, that warrants a call to your doctor immediately as well.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
- When do I need to begin screening for breast cancer?
- Am I overdue for a mammogram?
- Do I need annual screening or can I come in every two years?
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