I’ve been invited for my first mammogram aged 41

[JRHartly]

Hi all, I’m 41 and I was very surprised to get a text from my GP inviting me for my first mammogram. I had always assumed they would start when I am 50 or 55 so had never really thought about them.

I just wanted to get your views on whether this is the norm now and if you would get the mammogram or wait a few more years. Some points that may or may not be pertinent:

• my dad’s mother died of cancer (in the sub-continent) but I don’t know what kind of cancer, a couple of relatives have said it may have been breast cancer, but can’t say for sure
• my father died of pancreatic cancer
• I’m terrible at self-exams, I put them off as it makes me anxious (think it might be related to my ADHD)
• I’m Asian

Thanks everyone.

YANBU: get the mammogram
YABU: don’t get it now, wait until you’re 45

Yanbu.

Get one, why on earth wouldn't you? I can't think of a single reason to decline.

You're overthinking this. Why would you wait?

YES! No hesitation, take up the offer. But if it puts your mind at rest, you could also ask your GP why you've been invited.

I was part of a trial that involved testing women younger than 50 without family history of breast cancer. I think I was about your age. Go for it!

Definitely get it. I lived in Budapest when I turned 40 and I was called for a mammogram there. And again 3 years later. All clear.

moved back to UK and although I expected to be called at 50 I was actually almost 52 when I got called. And they found cancer. Thankfully it hadn’t spread and once it was removed I only needed radiotherapy.

There is a reason they have started doing mammograms earlier. Take it.

Thanks all, I forgot to add that I am dreading the mammogram itself as it sounds quite uncomfortable.

Some areas are trialling earlier mammograms than the standard within 3 years of you turning 50. I’ve been looking forward to being called for my first, but it could be another 18 months yet.

In your situation, regardless of your family history, I’d be running to take up this offer.

I’d go, I’d ask why you’ve been called early but definitely go. My mum, who is 70, so much much older has just been treated for breast cancer, found early through mammogram, no lump, mammogram only way to detect it. On diagnosis they were able to say it was absolutely not life threatening. Still crap, but early treatment is so effective now.

I know several women who have had breast cancer, most in late 40s early 50s and all have had successful treatment.

But that’s a momentary discomfort which will be over in minutes, versus not knowing if you have early cancer. Surely it’s a very reasonable trade off?

I'm going to be 42 this month and I'm still waiting for my over 40 health check (I've been invited, even attended one, but they didn't know how to use the machine yet so asked me to call back in a month or two. I keep calling, they're still not trained!). Take whatever you're offered I say!

They are a bit, but over fast and a lot less uncomfortable than operations and treatments. Just go 💐 like smears, you’ll get used to them.

Take some tablets beforehand and a hot water bottle or heated pad for comfort- book the day off work if you need to. (Not because it’s that bad! but just because you are worried). It’ll be fine.

It’s early but get it. I was surprised by how gentle and easy it was.

Get it now. Never just wait. They're probably trialling doing it early. It's not painful and it's done really quickly.

I have large dense breasts which can be quite tender for at least half the month, and I had always dreaded being called for a mammogram as I’d assumed it would hurt badly. Then I found a lump in my breast at 42 and got sent to the urgent clinic and was given one among other tests (happily it was a cyst). And the mammogram didn’t hurt at all, was so much gentler than I’d thought, and the staff were lovely and kind. I’d now have another without a second thought.

Not to sound grim but breast and pancreatic cancer can be caused by the same gene mutation and seeing as how your paternal grandmother and her son- your dad- both died from a 'related' cancer, I'd be saying yes to that mammogram.
FWIW, I've been getting mammograms since I was around 40 (I am 50 now) because my mother and her sister both had breast cancer. All 7 siblings in my mother's family have had cancer. With my brother's death from pancreatic cancer last year, well, cancer's always on my mind. I'm at high risk.
I just think, why wouldn't you have the mammogram? They're not that bad at all. Over in a flash.

I would definitely get the mammogram. It's just a couple of minutes - over faster than you would think - and even if you had no concerns about breast cancer beforehand, it's good to know if anything needs to be investigated.

OP it is, just as you said, uncomfortable. But nothing worse than that. Not painful, not invasive, not prolonged. (I've had several mammograms since being treated for breast cancer in my 40s. They're no big deal and they save lives.)

I didn’t know, thanks for highlighting that.

I called the GP and the receptionist said the text wasn’t sent by mistake, so I will give the breast clinic a call.

Thanks all.

Get the mammogram. I say this about all health tests, having the tests/ceckups won’t give you cancer but they might just save your life.
Mammograms can be uncomfortable but bearable and they are quick.
A mobile screening unit comes to our GP surgery car park. You will be asked a few questions, then shown to a cubicle, at ours there’s a pack of antibacterial wipes to wipe your Breast and armpit, remove your top and bra. Then they take you to the room where the machine is. You stand in front of it, the radiographer adjusts it to your height, you raise your arm, she places your arm where it needs to be, she then lifts your boob onto the bottom plate, brings the machine down so the top plate squashes your boob, she then nips behind a screen, tells you to hold your breath, takes the X-ray, from memory I think she takes another one from a different angle on the same boob, rinse and repeat for boob no.2.

I was recalled for further investigation after my last one. Some small calcium deposits were detected in my right breast, 6 of them, they looked like grains of sugar on the x ray, I was told I would never have found them via checking for lumps. The consultant told me they are rare and one type is cancerous, the other benign. All six deposits were removed via needle biopsies, sent off for analysis and thankfully they were the benign type. They were in the top right of the breast near my armpit.
I was clamped to a mammogram machine for the duration of the biopsies, that was fun, the machine was tipped at an angle with me clamped to it via my breast so the radiographer could guide the needle in. I was hanging on by my fingers like grim death trying not to fall off.

There are good reasons not to offer, or accept, mammograms below age 50 on average. Among them:

• False positives on concerns, which lead to invasive biopsies which can cause infection and scarring. Women have ended up with one breast smaller than the other due to repeated biopsies. In younger people with an overall lower risk of cancer, a higher proportion of concerns picked up will be false positives.
• Mammograms use radiation, and a very small but tragic number of women get breast cancer they wouldn't otherwise have had from the radiation involved.

Screening is not always a net good. Current research says that the benefits don't outweigh the risks for the general population until the age of 50. I'd want to know why, specifically, you have been called now and check that the indicators are that for you personally, the risk is outweighed by benefit. But either way, it's your choice to take it up; some medical professionals choose to opt out of breast screening altogether because of their assessment of the risk-benefit balance.

I am glad you plan to go ahead with the mammogram.

I received screening in my 40s due to family history, and had early detection of breast cancer as a result. Tiny little lump, would not have been found with breast exam. The little bugger had already found its way to my lymph nodes.

I might not be here today to write this post without that early detection.

Mammograms are not comfortable, but are quite bearable, and over fairly quickly. Staff are usually so nice.

Take some paracetamol 30 mins before your appointment. I always planned but never remembered to do this!

Good luck!!

I agree that while they are uncomfortable, they aren't painful. The images are taken that quickly that you aren't clamped in the machine for long. I'm overdue on my smear, because of pain, but I go for the mammograms.

In my area they trialled screening under 50s and picked a random selection of patients from the local health centre. 5 of these ladies were diagnosed with breast cancer and were treated . It definitely saved some lives.... I would suggest that you go if you can..

It’s odd you have been invited; maybe as a pp said it’s a trial? I am over 50 and still waiting for an invite…

i have read that a mammogram only ‘works’ on breast tissue that is peri/menopausal when the tissue density decreases. By ‘works’, I mean can predict with accuracy. I think I’d be asking some questions in your position.

I'm 46 and just had a mammogram as part of a private health screening for work. After reading on here I was expecting it to be very uncomfortable. It wasn't uncomfortable at all. Not in the slightest. And results were clear so that was good.

I can't think of a good reason not to have early screening, even if it was uncomfortable.