On a mammogram, fat looks dark grey or black whereas breast tissue looks white. That white area can be an issue because many small breast cancers also appear as white, so it’s harder to detect them in dense breasts.
Breast Cancer Screening
Let’s face it: no cancer is a good cancer. But if you do get cancer, being diagnosed at Stage 0 might be considered a best-case scenario.
Despite their importance, there are all sorts of misconceptions and misinformation regarding mammograms that make it difficult to know when's the right time to schedule your screening.
In November I began my journey as a Community Patient Navigator here at Roswell Park. This position was created through a New York State (NYS) grant with the goal of increasing the number of women in NYS getting screened for breast cancer. For most women over 40, the recommended breast cancer screening is a yearly mammogram.
Women at average risk for breast cancer should have an annual mammogram beginning at age 40.
Adult women, starting at age 20, are encouraged to perform a breast self-exam at least once a month. The key to a successful self-exam is consistency.
"How did I feel after learning I had breast cancer? A feeling of loneliness,” says Maria Torres, a resident of Buffalo, New York and breast and cervical cancer survivor.
You may have heard about a technology called 3D mammography. We get quite a few questions about it from patients in our Breast Center. It’s important to understand what 3D mammography is used for and who will benefit most from the technology.