The Mammogram Debate: Five Important Things You Should Know

Maybe it's the Girl Scout in me, but I always like to be prepared. So when I went to my doctor recently for a routine mammogram, I came armed with the latest statistics.

"Why am I coming in here every year for a mammogram, if cancer doesn't run in my family?" I asked her. "Furthermore, I've read that if you've been having mammograms for more than ten years, the chances of having a false positive result are about 50 to 60 percent. Why put myself though this every year? Can't I do this every other year?"

My doctor's answer was straight-forward and informed: "As women get older," she explained, "the chances of getting cancer actually increase. So I recommend that we stick with your yearly examinations."

I trust my doctor, but what's maddening is that there are so many conflicting opinions out there. If you do a random Google search for the phrase "how often should I get a mammogram?" you'll see that most experts, like my doctor, continue to stand by the once-a-year option. However, others claim that if you're not a genetic risk, you can skip a year. And just two weeks ago, the American Cancer Society came up with an even more complex revision, saying that women of average risk for breast cancer can wait until they're 45 to begin having their yearly mammograms, and then start having them every other year after age 55.

It's enough to make your head spin. That's why, in recognition of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I sat down with breast cancer expert Dr. Elisa Port in a special edition of "Mondays With Marlo" to sort through all the facts. Dr. Port -- the director of the Dubin Breast Center at Mt. Sinai Hospital and the author of the newly released The New Generation Breast Cancer Book -- supports yearly mammograms for "average-risk" women, commenting, "The bottom line is that there is very clear evidence that for women over the age of 40, the likelihood of dying of breast cancer is 15 percent lower if you do get mammograms."

And yet Dr. Port is keenly aware of the overwhelming information that bombards women every year. This is why she offers these five must-know facts about breast cancer:

1. There is no one-size-fits-all strategy to breast cancer detection and prevention. Dr. Port explains that prevention and treatment strategies have gotten increasingly complex because there are now so many options to consider -- from your family history to your age to your overall health. So don't assume that your girlfriend's or your cousin's situation is the same as yours, Dr. Port says. Talk with you doctor directly -- about you.
   
   
2. If you have a concern or are diagnosed with breast cancer, make sure you see a specialist. With new advances being made every day in the detection and treatment of breast cancer, it's hard for a general practitioner to keep up with the latest information and the newest options. Best to see a specialist who is completely up to speed.
   
   
3. Don't panic. If you are diagnosed with breast cancer, says Dr. Port, know that it is not an emergency. Yes, you should put an appointment with a specialist on your priority list; and, no, you should not wait longer than two or three months. But take the time to catch your breath, gather information and proceed calmly.
   
   
4. Get those mammograms. Yearly mammograms, says Dr. Port, are important for women who are at average risk of getting breast cancer. If you believe you're above average, speak to your doctor to determine your individual risk profile, and decide whether you should be getting other tests done in addition to a mammogram.
   
   
5. You're going to be okay. If you are diagnosed with breast cancer, says Dr. Port, know that your overall chances of survival have never been better -- 90%. So as you proceed through your treatment, you have every reason to remain optimistic. If you get best care possible, the odds are very much in your favor that you'll be fine.

Dr. Port offered additional invaluable information in our conversation, including lifestyle choices we can make to avoid breast cancer -- such as watching our weight. Our fat stores, she explains, make estrogen -- especially in post-menopausal women -- and the higher our exposure to estrogen, the higher our risk of breast cancer. Heavy drinking can also raise our risk profile, because both alcohol and hormones are broken down in the liver -- and if the liver is so busy breaking down the booze, it "doesn't have the bandwidth" to break down the hormones, too. So moderate drinking is advised.

I was so pleased to visit with Dr. Port on "Mondays With Marlo," and I hope you'll take the opportunity to watch it. The fact is, for all the noisy data out there, the indisputable fact is that one in eight women will get breast cancer. The good news is, there are tools to help us catch it in time. We just must be vigilant.

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