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Sarasota, Fla. (WWSB) – According to the American College of Radiology, women under the age of 40 are advised to have an ultrasound instead of a mammogram when they find a suspicious lump. That’s because ultrasounds are good for diagnosing lumps and determining their classification and characteristics, says Dr. Sarah Floyd, a breast imaging radiologist at SMH. The California woman who was denied a mammogram was a 29-year-old, Floyd said.
“In this case, this woman was very young, only 29 years old, well below the age at which patients are typically recommended to begin screening mammograms,” Floyd said.
There are exceptions to the recommendation, though Floyd recommends starting screening before age 40 if a patient has a family history of breast cancer.
“For example, if you have a mother in her 40s, it’s recommended that the patient start getting mammograms 10 years earlier,” says Floyd. “So 40 is not a hard and fast rule, it really depends on the patient’s family history.”
All lumps are serious, but not all lumps are cancer. According to Floyd, women should get their own physical exam in addition to their annual checkup. Additionally, if women feel something is wrong, Floyd is urging them to follow their gut and make sure it’s taken seriously.
“Patients really need to advocate for themselves, so if they have something that’s relevant to them and they’re being shunned or not taken seriously by their doctor, they need to really push for it,” Floyd said. “You might even consider another doctor.”
According to Floyd, a cancerous tumor can spread to the armpit lymph nodes.
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