Mammograms & Breast Self Exams

[communityhead]

We don't have to like this particular step, but you should, by all means, have one before your surgery if you are having breast reduction if you are 35 or over, have breast cancer in your family history or quite frankly want to feel better about your chances. If you are not of the age to have regular mammograms Self Breast Exams are important to perform every month.

One usually does not have to get a mammogram until age 40 unless breast cancer runs in the family. However, before breast reduction, it is often recommended to have a mammogram if 35 and over before and then after at 3 and 6 months post-op as a baseline for future mammography (see below).


According to the Core Curriculum of the prestigious Yale University School of Medicine - Plastic Surgery Section:

"Mammographic findings after breast reduction may be similar to those seen with carcinoma. Brown et al (PRS 1987; 80:691) recommend pre-op mammography in patients over 35 or with a history of cancer in first degree relatives followed by post-op mammography between 3 and 6 months to determine changes due to surgery and provide a baseline for further comparisons. Bostwick suggests that preoperative mammograms should be obtained for all patients at high risk or over 30 years of age, and at 6 months post-op and yearly thereafter. Beer (Aesthet Plast Surg 1996; 20:391) recommends mammograms 3 months post-op to establish a baseline. All reduction specimens should be labeled appropriately and sent for histopathology." credit: Yale University School of Medicine, Core Curriculum

Mammographic findings after breast reduction may be similar to those seen with carcinoma. Brown et al (PRS 1987; 80:691) recommend pre-op mammography in patients over 35 or with a history of cancer in first degree relatives followed by post-op mammography between 3 and 6 months to determine changes due to surgery and provide a baseline for further comparisons. Bostwick suggests that preoperative mammograms should be obtained for all patients at high risk or over 30 years of age, and at 6 months post-op and yearly thereafter. Beer (Aesthet Plast Surg 1996; 20:391) recommends mammograms 3 months post-op to establish a baseline. All reduction specimens should be labeled appropriately and sent for histopathology.It isn't the horrific experience it may have been in the 1950's -- mammography has come a long way, but let's be honest here, it hasn't traveled far enough. The plates are still colder than we'd like, the act of compression is no picnic and quite frankly typical mammogram technicians aren't that sympathetic.

[aia44]

I think it is important to have these mammograms regularly, even if you're not going to have breast surgery done. I agree that they should definitely be done before surgery.