These are More Reasons To Get a Mammogram: One You Won’t Expect

Planning when to get your first mammogram is something to discuss with your gyno.

Your first mammogram should be scheduled based on personal risk. Your gyno can estimate your personal cancer risk when combining her knowledge of research studies and her knowledge of your personal risk factors and personal breast cancer protection factors.

Actual breast symptoms can prompt the need for a mammogram, for instance if you feel a breast lump.

Family risk factors

Your contraception method may factor into when you get your first mammogram. A levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device (IUD) will significantly protect users against cancers of the endometrium, ovary, pancreas, and lung, but some new evidence says the use of the medicated IUDs may increase their risk for breast cancer, according to a new study by Tuuli Soini, MD, from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hyvinkää Hospital, Finland, and colleagues write in an article (Obstet Gynecol. 2014;124:292-299) published in the August issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology. Using data from administrative registers in Finland, Dr. Soini and coauthors analyzed data on all Finnish women between 30 and 49 years of age who used the levonorgestrel-releasing IUD between 1994 and 2007 for the treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding also known as menorrhagia. The cancer incidence among users of the hormone-releasing IUD was 7% higher than expected compared with women who did not use the IUD. Among women had received at least 2 IUDs, there was an excess risk of 20%. Over 5 years of IUD use in this study significantly increased risk. Since these women specifically had disordered menstrual bleeding, it’s possibly they have other risk factors that were not obvious from this study.