Jess Bailey was doing a home work-out when she rested her weights on her chest.
She felt a hard lump, like a marble.
After seeing her GP, Jess got an ultrasound done and was quickly advised to get a mammogram.
“I found out they only allow mammograms for younger women if there’s a concern with the ultrasound results,” she told ABC News.
Jess was 27 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer — and she had no family history of it.
“It was just bad luck,” she says.
Fast forward to August 2021, her luck turned around for the better.
She finished her chemotherapy and radiation.
“Life’s pretty much back to normal.”
To “cover all her bases”, Jess is now getting yearly mammograms, MRIs and ultrasounds.
Jess’s rare case brings up a common myth about mammograms: you only need to get them when you’re over 50.
Let’s break down everything to do with mammograms and with the help of these experts, bust some myths about them.
What is a mammogram?
It’s an x-ray of the breast, says Dr Ben Lancashire, a breast cancer specialist and surgeon at Mater Private Hospital in Brisbane.
“It can see things that we sometimes can’t feel during a physical examination,” Dr Lancashire told ABC News.
“It’s used to check for breast cancer in women who have no signs or symptoms.”
A mammogram looks at the breast tissue to see if there are any abnormal lumps or any changes within the structure within the breasts, Dr Lancashire says.
What happens during a mammogram?
Health professionals called radiographers or mammography technologists perform screening mammograms.
You’ll be taken into a private x-ray room and asked to remove your clothing from the waist up.
The radiographer will then place one breast at a time between two plates on the x-ray machine.
“This spreads the breast tissue out so that clear pictures can be taken,” Dr Lancashire says.
The machine will press firmly on your breast for about 10 seconds to take the picture.
It usually takes two pictures of each breast, one from the side and one from the top.
“Altogether, it only takes about 20 seconds,” he says.
Does a mammogram hurt?
Everyone experiences mammograms differently.
It’s normal to feel discomfort, but this should only last a few seconds, Dr Lancashire says.
“The pressure against your breasts from the testing equipment can cause pain or discomfort, and that’s normal.”
Who should have a mammogram?
Most breast cancer diagnoses are “typically within the 50-74 age range,” Dr Lancashire says.
But because of this, there’s a misconception that you don’t need to have one if you’re outside of this age group.
“Women aged 40-49 and those aged over 74 can also be screened.”
“The only thing is that they won’t receive invitation letters until they turn 50,” he says.
“But I would recommend people start at 40.”
Doctors strongly encourage women to have a mammogram done every two years.
Especially if you have a family history of breast cancer, says Kirsten Pilatti, CEO of Breast Cancer Network Australia.
“If you’re a well woman living in Australia right now, start having mammograms at 40.”
Can you get a mammogram under 40?
Breast screens aren’t encouraged for women under 40, according to Breast Screen NSW.
Dr Lancashire echoes this, agreeing that getting a mammogram under 40 “might be too young”.
But the reason why has to do with breast density.
“The younger you are, the more dense your breasts are,” Ms Pilatti says.
“Dense breasts doesn’t mean bigger breasts,” Ms Pilatti says.
Dense breasts “make it harder for mammograms to detect small cancers,” Dr Lancashire says.
Jess’s experience mirrors what the experts say.
“Because I was so young when I was diagnosed, I was told that my breast density made it difficult for the mammogram to detect the cancer.”
Instead, both Dr Lancashire and Ms Pilatti recommend younger women see their GP first to explore other tests, such as a MRI or biopsy.
Or as Jess was advised to do: an ultrasound.
Are there any risks?
Over diagnosis, false negative and false positive results and radiation exposure are potential risks, according to Cancer Council Australia.
While these risks must be considered by individuals, the benefits of mammograms outweigh the risks, Cancer Council says.
It’s the same position taken by the World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.
How much radiation is there?
“It’s very low,” according to Dr Lancashire.
“There’s a lot less radiation from a mammogram than there is from a CT scan.”
The Department of Health and Aged Care also confirms this.
“We expose your breasts to the smallest amount of radiation possible.”
“It’s about the same as 18 weeks of radiation exposure in a natural environment.”
What happens after the mammogram?
Results are generally sent in the mail within two weeks to you or your doctor or health service, if you’ve agreed to this.
How much does a mammogram cost?
Screening mammograms are free every two years to all Australian women aged 40 and over who do not have any signs or symptoms of breast disease.
Women who have been referred for a mammogram by their doctor may have to pay a fee, Cancer Council says.
While there is a Medicare rebate for mammograms, many private imaging clinics charge more than the Medicare Schedule Fee.