Medical Questions » Breasts, Female Questions » Question No. 170
| Question: | I am 54, and my mother and aunt both had breast cancer. My doctor is sending me for a mammogram, although i have not felt any lumps. Could you explain what is done, and is there enough radiation to harm me, or even to cause breast cancer? |
| Answer: | Because of your family history of breast cancer, you are considered to be at risk of developing this disease, and you would be wise to practise regular breast examination and to have a mammogram yearly.
For the mammogram, the breast is compressed between clear plastic plates, and films are taken in two projections. If you have very little breast tissue, or very abundant breasts, the procedure may be briefly uncomfortable, but the information obtained is well worth this discomfort. There is less radiation than in a normal chest x-ray, and it will not cause breast cancer. |
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