Breast cancer affects women and in order to save lives, knowledge about breast cancer has been widely introduced to public in terms of its symptoms, treatment and how to recognize its occurrence. With the advancement of technology, mammogram has been invented to help in screening cancer of the breast.

In the traditional screening for cancer of the breast, the patient is advised to do regular self-examination and clinical examination to determine if there are lumps in the breast. However, this may not totally screen breast cancer as some of its types may have soft lumps as manifestations. This is where mammography may be useful.

A mammogram is a safe, low-dose x-ray of the breast to detect possible cancer cells in the breasts. It is strongly advised for women age 40 and older to have mammogram screening every 1 to 2 years as they have higher risk of developing the said disease. Yet, not only this age bracket of women would be susceptible to cancer but also those who have family history of cancer. Therefore, women under this category should take mammogram earlier than the age of 40.

Mammograms are being recommended with its capacity to lower the risk of dying from breast cancer by 35% in women over the age of 50. Researches also indicate that women between 40 and 50 they may lower the risk of dying from breast cancer by 25-35%.

Nonetheless, despite of the positivity on the benefits that mammograms can offer, there are still doubts that are being questioned about. One is that it has a false-negative (missed cancer) rate of at least 10 percent. This may be as result that normal breast tissue can hide a breast cancer.

Another issue is the radiation exposure. Radiation exposure is a potential risk of mammogram however the benefits of the mammograms outweigh the low risks that mammograms can cause.

With these, some medical authorities recommend magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as it has shown substantial progress in being an alternative to a mammography.

To make sure those mammograms give the maximum medical advantage it can offer in fighting against breast cancer, the FDA created The Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA). MQSA is a national law that certifies clinics where you can have your mammogram screening. The Act also covers the educational capacity and training of those who will conduct the examination as well as the proficiency of the people who are designated to operate the equipment, and study and analyze the results of your test.

When preparing for a mammogram screening, it is best not to use deodorant, talcum powder or lotion prior to the examination. These substances may show up on the X-ray as calcium spots. Also, it is recommended that you bring with you your past examination results for comparison.

While you may not doubt the credibility of the person in charge of your mammogram, it is best to have more than one radiologist read your study.

With this information on hand, you are now more aware on how to early diagnose breast cancer. Take your mammogram screening and always see your physician.