Skincare, makeup products, athleisure, luxury handbags — dupes are all the rage right now. Whether influenced by social media or wanting to test out a trend mentioned at girls’ night for a fraction of the cost, there’s no harm in clicking “add to cart,” right? Maybe, if it’s for the latest beauty and fashion items.
But when it comes to protecting our breast health, there’s simply no replacement for the real thing. A prime example is mammograms. Lately, there’s been a surge in misinformation about these lifesaving screenings. To help ensure women have the most accurate, trusted information to make informed decisions, we’re busting the four most notorious (and dangerous) mammogram misconceptions.
Misconception: There are “pain-free” or “compression-free” mammograms.
These so-called “mammograms” are not the real deal — far from it. Certain screenings, like breast MRIs or ultrasounds, can provide value to patients, including women with dense breast tissue or those at higher risk. However, they cannot and should not replace our yearly mammograms. So, while these claims may be enticing, supplemental screenings are just that: supplemental.
Misconception: Mammograms are ineffective at detecting breast cancer.
Widely considered the gold standard of breast cancer screenings, medical experts agree that mammograms are the best way to find the disease early and improve women’s treatment outcomes. Thanks to increased utilization of these screening tools, the American Cancer Society (ACS) reports the breast cancer mortality rate is steadily declining, dropping by more than 40% since 1990.
Misconception: Mammograms increase the risk of or cause breast cancer.
I often tell my patients that the radiation exposure from a screening mammogram is akin to a drop of water in the ocean. In other words, it’s a minute amount. The ACS reaffirms that the exposure from mammograms does not increase breast cancer risk or “outweigh the benefits of screening,” which include earlier detection and more effective, often less invasive and less expensive treatment.
Misconception: The compression of a mammogram can spread cancer.
There is (less than) zero scientific evidence to support this claim. Compression during a mammogram reduces breast thickness, ensuring we have the highest-quality, clearest images to see potential masses and abnormalities more easily.
Don’t be duped. The science is clear: Mammograms are the most effective tool for finding and saving women’s lives from breast cancer.
Stacy Smith-Foley, M.D., is a board-certified, fellowship-trained breast imaging specialist and the founding physician of The Breast Center at CARTI. If you have questions about your breast cancer risk, when to start screening or how often, visit carti.com or call 501.537.MAMO.
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