Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women today. It is considered a disease of menopausal women, but there are younger women with this problem as well. This is especially true in women with a positive family history. Mammography is a form of X-ray used to find breast cancers. It is used in two ways, one as a screening test and the other to examine breast lump. Today the mammogram is the only widely available screening tool used to find small breast cancers that cannot be felt by exam. The smaller the cancer, the less likely it is to spread and the better the outcome. The combination of your monthly self-exam, your health care worker's yearly exam and the mammogram gives the best rate of finding a breast cancer.

It is recommended that women between the ages of 50 to 69 have a mammogram every one to two years. Mammography may be indicated for women between ages 40 to 49 or who are at increased risk for breast cancer. Risk increases for all women who:
* are smoking,
* have a family or personal history of breast cancer,
* had a previous precancer of the breast,
* do not have children, or had children later in life, or
* are elderly.

Getting a mammogram is easy. Many mammography centers have health education videos, and exam models to explain what will be done. You will usually tell your personal health history to a nurse or technician. You will be escorted to a changing room and from there go to the nearby test room. The machine is large with a platform for your breast. The technician will place your breast on the platform and apply another tray on top of the breast to press it gently out for a flatter X-ray. The procedure allows the X-ray to see more of the tissue deep within your breast. Two or three different views of each breast are taken to check the whole breast. The X-rays are read by a radiologist, and the results are reported to your provider.

The test is not perfect, in fact, a lump that you or your healthcare provider feels may not show up on the mammogram. This lump is still a concern and needs to be tested by sampling.

Lastly, you should check that the center is approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA). This agency checks the quality, equipment, personnel, and the record keeping of the center, to assure good care.

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