Don't let common myths stand in the way of early detection.
When it comes to breast cancer, knowing the best ways to detect and treat the disease at its earliest stages can be the key to a good outcome. We asked Maria J. Kowzun, MD, Breast Surgical Oncologist with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, who currently sees patients at Clara Maass Medical Center, to address some of the most misunderstood aspects of breast cancer risk, screening methods and treatment.
Myth: if there's no lump in my breast, I can't have breast cancer.
Fact: Breast cancer has to start somewhere, and it starts with just a few microscopic cells that multiply. The point of regular screening mammograms is to catch cancer early, before it gets too large and begins to spread to the lymph nodes and the rest of the body. Mammograms have caught cancers as small as a pinhead or a grain of rice—smaller than can be detected by a physical exam.
Monthly breast self-exams—and regular physical exams by a doctor—are still important, since cancer can arise in between screenings even in women who get regular mammograms. But mammograms are the gold standard for detecting cancer at the earliest stage, when surgery can be completely curative.
Myth: mammograms always hurt.
Fact: There’s sometimes minimal discomfort during a mammogram since, in order to get a good image, it is necessary to gently compress the breasts between two glass plates. The degree of discomfort that a woman will feel depends on many factors, including her own sensitivity to pain, breast structure (especially if the breasts are cystic) and so on. If you’ve experienced pain during mammograms in the past, there are a few things you can do before your next screening:
• If you’re premenopausal, schedule the mammogram for the time of your monthly cycle when your breasts are least tender.
• Take an over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), such as ibuprofen, 45-60 minutes before the mammogram. (Check with your doctor first.)
• Try concentrating on your breathing—deep breaths in and out—to help you relax, as anxiety can add to your concern about potential discomfort.
The important thing to remember is that a mammogram should never hurt so much that it stops you from keeping up with regular breast cancer screenings. If you’re concerned about pain, talk to your doctor.
Myth: breast cancer is rare in older women.
Fact: According to the American Cancer Society, 44 percent of new breast cancer cases in 2017 were diagnosed in women between the ages of 60 and 79, so it’ s essential to be vigilant. It’ s important for every woman to have a discussion with her doctor about her own circumstances and when it’s okay to stop having regular mammograms.
Myth: there's no breast cancer in my family, so my risk is minimal.
Fact: There is a 1 in 8 chance that an American woman will develop breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. Of these cases, only 5 to 10 percent are associated with a hereditary predisposition. This means that 90 percent or more of new breast cancer cases arise in women with no family
history of the disease.
Even if you can’t think of anyone in your family who was ever diagnosed with breast cancer, it’s still important to have regular screening mammograms so that if you do develop the disease, it will be detected and treated early.
Myth: a breast cancer diagnosis is almost always followed by disfiguring surgery.
Fact: For the vast majority of breast cancer cases, surgery is the first line of treatment. However, our goal as breast surgeons is to perform surgery in a way that is cosmetically acceptable to the patient. We’ve come a long way from the radical mastectomies of the past that left patients without the breast and the underlying muscle. For patients with small and early-stage cancer, lumpectomies are now available that remove the cancer itself with just a small margin of normal breast tissue around it. If we anticipate that surgery may result in cosmetic deformity, we can rearrange breast tissue during surgery in order to recreate a natural-looking breast. For patients who require mastectomy—removal of the entire breast—we work with plastic surgeons to offer breast reconstruction using implants or a patient’s own body tissue.
Ultimately, our goal is not just to treat the breast cancer, but to treat the whole person and to physically restore her so that she can feel happy when she looks at herself in the mirror.
RWJBarnabas Health and Clara Maass Medical Center, in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey—the state’s only NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center—provide close-to-home access to the latest treatment and clinical trials.
To learn about breast cancer screening and treatment at Clara Maass Medical Center, call 973.844.4161. Request a mammogram appointment,