Mammograms

[Frenchgirl69]

I was told by my oncologist that I no longer need mammograms since my breast cancer is metastic. Has anyone else been told this?

[SeattleMom]

Hello! It has been nearly six years since I was diagnosed with MBC. I have not had a mammogram since. Once the breast cancer has spread, it is managed with blood analysis and scans. No longer any need for mammograms.

God bless you! 💗💗🙏🏻🙏🏻 Linda

[Best521]

Yes I was told the same. Once you are metastatic you are being treated systematically. I have not had a mammogram in two years. Scans, blood tests, labs, biopsies office visits etc. are used to manage and monitor the disease from here on out. So far so good.

[Zebra2018]

Yes they told me I don’t need mammograms any more. Also I have not done colonoscopy since my diagnosis around 5 years ago

Good luck to everyone

[Kerryd22]

Me too! I have diverticulitis and the radiologist notes it along with the state of my breast cancer. One scan showed a gallbladder inflammation and the radiologist called the oncologist which triggered an immediate response from my oncologist who referred me to the surgeon who operated less than ten days after the original scan.

My uncle had prostate cancer and his scans picked up bowel cancer. The combination of scans we have cover pretty much everything that can go wrong inside our body.

And honestly who wants to have their boobies flattened for a scan that can be done easier and more painlessly in another way? Not me.

[Suzianna10]

I was told by my breast consultant there is no point in mastectomy because the cancer has already spread beyond lymph nodes under arm and is therefore metastatic, Whole point in a mastectomy is to stop it spreading. Therefore no need for further mammograms unless a problem develops

[Godbeforme in reply to Suzianna10]

I only had a lumpectomy and they said no more mammos per M.D. Anderson ....

[bikebabe]

I can see that point but I always had a concern (maybe unjustified) that if you still have cancerous breast tissue that isn’t treated locally when you get a metastatic diagnosis isn’t there a chance it will fungate at the point that all the systemic treatments become ineffective. Maybe at that point it wont matter due to rapid deterioration or maybe radiotherapy would be offered to control it - no idea. I will check it out and report back with an expert’s perspective.

[Kerryd22 in reply to bikebabe]

I was diagnosed de novo so still have the breast tumour. A mammogram would pick it up but it’s not a secret that it’s there. I suppose a fungating wound is possible if the treatment stops working but surely a regular scan would see the progression before it broke through the skin? 🤔

[bikebabe in reply to Kerryd22]

I think that’s what I meant - that if it got near skin, maybe picked up by CTand then they do radiation. But I difn’t know. Mri is the only thing that picks up my hard to see lobular breast and even then it was 10cm not the 1.7 cm that the mri detected. And the mri I now have is only of the spine. Ct focuses on lungs/liver.

[Nocillo]

My first oncologist with 40 years of experience told me that any time you have a breast, you should have a mammogram. I had them for a few years after my diagnosis, but haven’t done them for the past few years. The less appointments, the happier I am!

[wendle3007]

I'm in the UK. I still have annual mammograms which are instructed by the Breast Unit rather than the Oncologist. The Breast Unit follows up on all breast cancer patients for at least 5 years after surgery. I know that there is still cancer tissue in my breast because it was very deep and on the muscle. Subsequent scans show it is being kept stable from the radiotherapy treatment and my on-going anti-cancer treatment. My mammogram results usually say "satisfactory" rather than "clear" because of this.

I guess it really depends on the type of breast cancer you have and whether it is the type more likely to reoccur (for example triple negative) or whether you have any of the key genes.

[Andersl in reply to wendle3007]

I'm in the UK.I've not heard of anyone having mammograms post diagnosis. As others have said here, the scans pick up any new metastases.

However, so we',re fully informed it would be interesting to know the reason why you're still having mammograms. Perhaps you would ask your oncologist when you next meet and post the answer here?

Best wishes x

[Hidden in reply to Andersl]

Hi. I'm also in the UK and was told I don't need anymore mammograms as the regular scans would pick anything up.

[Justme153]

I also still have mammograms of my right breast. Ordered by both my pcp and oncologist. I wish i would have had this debate put out here on Monday as i just had my oncologist appt. Tuesday i could have asked the reason . i wont see her again till january .

[1711JPD]

Hi. My inc told me the same thing but I still get the mammogram yearly. It gives me peace of mind.

[Godbeforme]

No more mammograms per my M.D. Anderson oncologist in 2018. Since then, we moved and I went to Texas Oncology and they wanted to mammogram me and I said, no, M.D. Anderson said "not necessary anymore" and I refused it. Shortly thereafter I changed to a different Cancer Center, as Texas Oncology wanted to do WAY TOO MUCH and for what? I am so thankful to God that He made me bold and able to speak out and not just cow down to whatever I'm told by a cancer doctor! Thank You Jesus for Your guidance in all this. First diagnosed in 2013 and had lumpectomy and radiation; 2018 femur broke above knee and diagnosed stage 4; I take Ibrance and have no aches, pains or problems, although I recently had the shingles and I was thinking I should have had the vaccine, then I read that if your immune system has been compromised, don't get the vaccine, anyone else told not to get it? Shingles has been horrible. It got on my face and left eye, now just dealing with the nerve damage to my eyelid and eyebrow area; it left an insane itch. By the way ladies, I think I picked it up at the gym! If you go to the gym, be sure and wipe down your equipment BEFORE you use it! God bless and heal us all in Jesus name, amen!

[Chamisa in reply to Godbeforme]

I was under the impression that Texas Oncology is a for profit company. So I’m not surprised they want to do more tests and such. I’m an MD Anderson patient; I switched from another institution and I’m glad I did. I figure if MD Anderson doesn’t know what to do then no one does.

[Godbeforme in reply to Chamisa]

amen! I am vehemently opposed to those who want to use my body for profit, especially since I have an incurable disease! God have mercy on their souls!

[diamags in reply to Godbeforme]

My Northwestern doc said no more mammos!

[AvidBooklover]

No mammograms...treated at MSK. PET/CT every six months.

[CTGirl1962]

Yes. As soon as I got my diagnosis. No need because of the scans we get.

Hugs,

Jody

[Totheriver]

Yes I was told that 4 years ago when my breast cancer had metastasized. I was a little shocked when my oncologist told me. Theresa

[SpongebobMom]

I stopped the mammo...Onc & GYN still recommended them but I figure at this point, what's THE point?!

[cpidacks]

I just had a mammogram in April. I had not had a mammogram since 2018. My nurse practitioner and oncologist insisted that I have one. I have MBC in the liver and was diagnosed in 2019. I think I will tell my oncologist that I will no longer have a mammogram. My PCP said I no longer need a Pap smear at my age (74). Now my PCP wants me to have a colonoscopy. I have not scheduled an appointment as I am afraid of having to go off my blood thinners for two days. I had severe blood clots in both lungs and DVT in my right leg last November.

I am lucky to still be here. I agree with others that we have too many tests and scans. Enough is enough.

[Likes]

I have not had a mammogram since being diagnosed with MBC. 😉

[JustmeMary]

Looks like I’m in the minority on this one - my oncologist still wants yearly mammograms.

[Timtam56]

yes. I have been told this too.

[HoneyBadgerLady]

My oncologist told me that the scan I get every 4 months because of my mbc replaces the need for a mammogram. She pulled up the scan images on the computer, pointed at the one covering the chest, and said "there's your mammogram info."

[hurricaneheather]

mBC dx in July 2015. NEAD since March 2016. no mammo’s since then. a PET/CT, and markers, would detect the cancer. the OB/GYN is ok with this.

[Chamisa]

No, mammograms are no longer needed if you’re being treated systemically. It’s the old saying about shutting the barn door after the horses are already out.

[fancydog]

I've had only one since becoming Metastatic. I had a fluke on a Bone Scan that showed diffuse uptake in my entire rt breast, had 3D mammo and there was nothing!!! So for now no more mammos!👍

[Sharon0122]

I haven’t had one in two yesrs, since I was diagnosed. They keep track of it with, CT, MRIs, and bone scans. Hugs!

[Discocat]

I still have annual mammograms.Two years since diagnosis and three mammograms since then as the first of the three was taken as a starting point record.

Also I have scans every 6 months...alternating between a long full body CT and bone scan with radioactive tracer that has to be absorbed into system for a few hrs whilst drinking loads of water...whole process taking 3-4 hrs....and a 15-20 min bone scan, the other time.

[Smokeyd]

I was told the same, no more mamos required since metastatic

[gerisplace]

When I was diagnosed metastatic six years ago I was told mammograms no longer needed. I’m with Kaiser in Northern California and they still remind me all the time that I’m due for one. Very annoying! For some reason Kaiser can’t figure out how to remove these reminders. That’s one test I’m happy to not have! I get bone and CT scans every six months.

[Chamisa in reply to gerisplace]

Where I had mammograms still continues to remind me that I’m due for one…. But I had a bilateral mastectomy seven years ago! I’ve told them over and over… I HAVE NO MAMS TO GRAM! 🤣

[love2golfwell]

My oncologist says I still need to have mammograms every year on the healthy breast. I have argued with her about it but she says they are important. I had a mammogram in November which showed some new calcifications, went back in July for a follow up and ended up having a biopsy which showed benign calcifications. The radiologist said if I did not have a history of breast cancer she would not have done the biopsy as she thought they were probably benign. I did not know that after the biopsy when they inserted the titanium clip that they would do two more mammogram pictures and now want me to come back in 6 months for a follow up. That will be like 4 mammograms in one year. I don't think I am going to do that as I am already doing PET/CT scans every 6 months and feel that it is just too much radiation. My doctor downplays the risks of radiation and says the benefits are better than the risks. I am not buying that. Even if something was found on a mammogram, I am not sure what I would do. Sorry for venting!

[LadyKatarina]

All of you should ask: Why do a mammo or why not? Your oncologist is your consultant, and should supply reasons for ordering more tests. The only difference that I am aware of is that the mammo is more sensitive than PET. PET picks up tumors of 0.6 cm size. Don't remember the cut-off for mammos. But really--what if the mammo is sensitive to 0.3 cm? We are already being treated so who cares about the sensitivity? I also think that in the USA some institutions/MDs order and order--more scans, more referrals, more drugs. It gets endless, and we have the most expensive heath care with the worst results!

[RLN-overcomer]

Greetings/(Bonjour )Sister/Warrior😇. I was diagnosed with Triple Negative Metastatic breast cancer in 2007. I was 2006 misdiagnosed. the year prior in 2006 as benign🫡. I thank GOD that I have had NED for almost 15 years. My Oncologist agreed that I should have blood marker tests, and Songrams (only). I also have dense breast that mamograms are not useful in capturing irregular cancer cells, and cancer tumors🧐. My Angel Oncologist has put in my file a note, no Mamograms. I no all breast cancers are different, and have many subtypes, but I hope this information helps. GOD bless you XoXoXo