What % of recalled mammograms are actually cancer?

[viewfromawindow]

My mum is 73 and has just been recalled from a routine mammogram for the hospital to have a closer look. She is totally terrified. My Dad got prostate cancer, was diagnosed really early and unfortunatly died at 66 from it so in her head (irrational I know but who I am to critisise) she thinks that the outcome is the same for all cancers.
Does anyone have any statistics on what % are recalled and then go on to actually have a diaognosis of cancer? Our family tends to respond to practical data (mathematicians huh!) so while it might not be the right thing for everyone, it would really help us!

If this isn't her first screening mammogram, then for every 1000 women having a subsequent screen, 36 are recalled, of whom 5.4 will actually have cancer.
At her age, she is past the peak incidence too, so her risk is a little lower

Sorry to hear that but glad CMOT has been on with the stats. So I'd take that to be a better than 5/6 chance of not having it, given the fact she has been recalled. If that's not right, please don't tell me, I am going for an epidemiology-type job :)

Sorry to hear about your dad as well :(

closer to 6 in 7 Stealth

Likely to be fine, but just to let you know that my mum was one of the unlucky 15% to have cancer discovered after a routine mammogram. She had a lumpectomy and radiotherapy about 3 years ago now. She got over it all very easily and has been fine ever since.

at Daisy
Good to hear a positive story about the 1 in 6 as well. Glad your mum is well

Thanks for the info guys... I didn't realise that her age is over the peak time for breast cancer which is reasurring. 1 in 6 is a pretty good chance! Sorry to hear about your Mum Daisy, glad she is OK now. Mum wasn't due to even have another mammogram, as her next sheduled one would have been after she was 74 which of course is older then they routinly scan. Luckily she has a lovely doctor, and our tiny hospital isn't busy, so they said they would do it a year early. Really glad now as if it is anything then we have caught it early.
Her appointment at the "big" hospital is next Thursday so fingers crossed.
Love the fact you can usually find the answer to any question if you fling it open to MNetters!

let us know how the appointment goes.

Hi just wanted to say that I hope your Mums appt goes well, breast clinic staff are generally lovely and very supportive in my experience and I'm sure she will be looked after.

The risk of breast cancer does actually increase with age though just to set the record straight, despite the fact that women don't get routinely called for screening after 70 at the moment.

Any woman over 70 can request a mammogram every 3 years by calling their screening unit. Don't ask me why they aren't routinely called up (used to know this - did it for a job) because I forget, d'oh! They are currently starting to expand it up to 73 years though.

Good luck!

curly, I don't think CMOT is saying the risks don;t increase with age, just that they peak and decline (no idea if that is true)

When I shared your info with mum last night she made me laugh by saying "well if it was a horse running at 5:6 I would certainly back it". Shes a game girl and I hate it when she starts sounding like a little old lady - even though I guess she is!

She sounds lovely, view

Yes, risk does decline over a certain age, can't remember what but vague memory its 70.

Bugger, bugger, bugger....
We went for the second mammogram and they took a biopsy as well. Turned out she had "calcification" which is what they had seem on the original scan. Have just been back for the results of the biopsy and she has DCIS which they explained as "precancerous" cell but very localised. Ie if they just left it, it would in all likely turn into something nasty. So she has to go in and have the area removed but thank god only small at this point. 6mm x 3mm. this is exactly what we went through with dad. " Oh it's very early stages and very unlikely to develop or spread". Mum is being very brave but I know she is worried as she has told her sisters! We are quite a self contained unit as a family and she never likes to "worry" any one!! Of course is also flapping about the effect of me having to ferry her to and from appointments as I teach and and a single parent. Well it turns out we have some lovely friends who are going to help with this and my head teacher is just going to have to lump it . . Mum comes first.
Surgery is booked for sept 13th.

So sorry your mum's going through this viewfromawindow, but as breast cancer goes, DCIS is the best kind to have. Its good she's got her surgery date, and its soon so she can get it over with. Its possible she'll have radiotherapy as well (I only mention this because you have to go in everyday for about 3 weeks, so you can think about travel arrangements )

Don't compare BC to prostate cancer, its not the same, it doesn't act the same way, its a different disease. And don't you or your mum be shy of discussing fears either with her breast care nurse (they are excellent, and very happy to chat and talk you through things, in person or on the phone) or her surgeon/oncologist, - they will be able to reassure her.

If you want to chat about it all, - pop over to the tamoxifen thread fro a bit of support, - some of us have had BC, others awaiting tests and surgery, and some people who have relatives with BC. I know there are people there who have had very similar diagnosis to your mum, - they are all doing well by the way

Thanks kurrikurri for your response. We are both trying to be positive and I will def check out the other thread. I didn't know the radiotherapy could last 3 weeks! Eeeekk! Onwards and upwards !