Breast Cancer Screening Del Mar, San Diego
Breast Cancer Part 1: Screening
I have been treating breast cancer patients for 25 years and over the last few years I have been alarmed at the number of young women being diagnosed. I have treated patients as young as 25-30 years old. While the incidence of breast cancer has been declining since 1999 it is still higher than it was in 1975, and this may be due to better detection methods.
Women in their 20’s, especially those with a family history of breast cancer, should start doing self-exams every month. Mammograms should be started at age 40 and done regularly. If there is a very strong family history–for instance in your mother, sisters, maternal grandmother and/or maternal aunts – you may want to consider genetic testing for the BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 genes. This is sometimes covered by insurance.
Cosmetic surgery of the breasts, including breast augmentation with implants and breast lifts, does not increase your risk of breast cancer. I do, however, insist that mammograms be done on any woman over 40 who wishes to have a breast augmentation or breast lift.
Contact Dr. Pollack at Del Mar Plastic Surgery if you have questions about this or any other topic and stay tuned for additional installments about breast cancer treatment and reconstruction.