My mom had BC - way post menopausal. Supposedly, since there were no other first degree relatives and she was P-M, I didn’t really need to worry. I had a baseline at 36 and annual at 40. At 46, I was dx with BC. St 0, but family history and grade had my treatment on the conservative side. Younger sister DX with St 3 at 48, older sister St 1 at age 53.
No genetic markers.
The daughters, nieces, and other sisters have to be diligent in exams and tests.
That said, if there wasn’t family history or if I wasn’t in some other high risk category, I’d probably go along with the new recs. one cousin was diagnosed at age 80-something and had treatment that really wasn’t necessary. We all had issues with that.
My dr stopped my annual Pap smears a few years back.
The article ucbalumnus links to doesn’t discuss one risk of mammograms: they not only detect cancer, they also cause cancer. And the increased risk isn’t trivial.
I’d already dropped to an 18 month schedule; this news is making me think of the two year approach. I don’t have dense breasts and have no family history. I did get my first one at 35, so I’ve already had quite a few.
I’ve had them every year for 19 years. Have no family history and am at low risk. I’m OK with every 2 years going forward. When they switched the Paps to every three years for me I was OK with that also and i was told if next year’s PAP is OK again, then it will move to every 5 days - or two more times then no more. I really think it depends on your family history and risk. I wonder though if one baseline at 40 or 45 then every two years might be better than waiting until 50 for a baseline. Everyone I know that had breast cancer developed it between 45 and 55 and of course that is anecdotal, but I wonder why they chose 50. I also don’t think they are nasty or uncomfortable…nor are Paps, but I can do why some people would get tense or are particularly sensitive about those body part areas so can understand why some put those sorts of things off.
I’ve had routine annual mammograms from around age 40. For the past 5-10 years I’ve also had an immediate sonogram of one breast because of dense tissue. This year the technician read the prescription wrong and did a sono on both sides. When I got the copy of the results it recommended routine mammo in 1 year and nothing about sonograms… so I don’t know if that was an oversight or if deliberate decision. I need to call for my annual gyn appt. I am older and so post-menapausal and in a very long time monogamous relationship with DH, but gyno still is continuing with pap smears so I will see if any different when I am there next time and ask her about the sonograms. I guess every 2 years for mammo will not be a problem and I will be more diligent about BSE
I got a new doc when I moved a few years ago. Old doc is very much against frequent mammograms. New doctor wants me to have one every year, for no reason other than extreme caution. No history of breast cancer in my family. I had to convince him not to get one this year. Curious what he’ll say at my next appointment.