Mammograms miss cancers… in the media

Thanks for sharing, this is why it is important to regularly check yourself and check it out if there is even the smallest doubt. 
However, mammograms do pick up most cancers, so feel very lucky that we have that facility on the NHS x

Apparently 40-50% of over 40s still have dense breasts. That means that probably 40% of over-50s mammogram screening is on dense breasts that it couldn’t see a cancer in as tumours show as white, as do dense breasts. Mammograms also miss lobular cancers. So unless a woman has a fully fatty breast (shows grey on a mammogram), many white tumours are missed. This is costing breasts and lives. Women aren’t told the risk and they aren’t offered supplemental screening wIth ultrasound or MRI that would detect cancer. Then there’s HRT… a women younger than menopause age experiencing cancer would not be offered HRT. If you’re prescribed HRT but you and your GP are unaware you have dense breasts (greater risk of cancer), then it could be contributing to growing your cancer (this happened to me), as soon as I found my cancer my GP told me to stop taking it immediately. 

I was told I had ‘dense’ breasts when I was diagnosed at 51. I was also told by my consultant that he couldn’t feel the two lumps I had! So I am very thankful that it was a routine mammogram recall that spotted mine! 

I was told I had dense breasts when I was diagnosed at 51. My lumps were spotted on a routine mammogram and I was recalled. My consultant confirmed he could not feel the 2 tumours I had. The reality I believe is that nothing and no one can spot everything.

Same, dense breast, routine mammogram found lump 10mm at age 50. MRI found another one at 3mm. No one Could feel anything, so I’m very thankful for mammograms and they catch a lot of early cancer. But all the medical professionals say self checking and noticing differences is also vital. 

Excellent and dense breasts are a risk factor for breast cancer.  They don’t know why as it is more than just missing the tumors.  Here in US they do tell you that you have dense breasts but there are 4 levels of density (3 and 4 requires more testing) and I have never seen on report.  Also women can’t tell if breasts are dense just by feeling.  
Really enjoyed the article and the word needs to be spread so women can get the most appropriate testing.  

I’d never heard of dense breasts until I saw it mentioned in a forum post. I asked consultant and was told yes I have them, category 3 on the dense breast scale.

Mammogram missed my lobular cancer completely.

When I was prescribed HRT patches my gynaecologist said. You should be aware that this can cause breast cancer. I didn’t have any family history and reasoned that there were side effects with any drug, so I accepted the prescription as I couldn’t deal with my debilitating hot sweats any longer.. 15 months later I find a lump (that the mammogram missed) and it turns out it is an Oestrogen positive cancer and had to remove my patch immediately. I’m now facing the suggestion of Letrozole to reduce my oestrogen even further. They solved one problem and created another! 

From the age of 50 I had a mammogram every 3 years.  I now wonder if that was a complete waste of time.  In 2022 at the age of 71  I noticed my my left breast skin was creasing.  I was referred to the breast clinic where the consultant examined me and said, this will be lobular breast cancer and sent me next door for a mammogram during which there was no sign of cancer so they performed an ultrasound scan - no sign of cancer.  Back to surgeon who said I don’t accept the all clear so I will perform a biopsy myself.   She took 4 samples and said this will be cancer.  I will see you in 2 weeks time with the results but in the meantime you go for an MRI scan.  
When after two weeks I  went back to the surgeon she told me that even the NMI showed no cancer.  Then she told me the biopsy confirms grade 2 lobular breast cancer.  
I’ve never been told I have dense breasts but the surgeon told me that lobular cancer grows differently. Instead it being a tumour that’s grow from a stump, it grows in a flat line which can make it harder to detect by all scans.  When it was removed it was 5.8 cms in size and there was another 3 LBC tumours of 2mm 4mm and 6mm. None of which showed up. 

I’ve always checked my breasts regularly but never feel anything, so when checking as well as feeling, looking for signs is vital.  Had I not noticed creading on the side of my breasts I dread to think!  

Your situation is exactly like mine!  I was literally on HRT for 15 months when I found a lump. Went to get it checked but only picked up on ultrasound/biopsy as it was mammogram ‘occult’. I’ve had to come off HRT and now told after my lumpectomy (this Thursday) I’ll need to go on Tamoxifen. I can’t help but feel the HRT caused my cancer but the healthcare professionals deny any connection. I also don’t want to take any further medication after feeling it’s medication that’s caused me to be in this situation in the first place. I just wonder what did you decide in the end?