This makes regular health screenings crucial for early cancer detection. With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it’s the perfect time to highlight a powerful screening tool – the mammogram.
Here’s something you might not know: you can get a mammogram at Institut Jantung Negara (IJN). As part of its mission to be a centre of excellence in diagnostic imaging, IJN offers a wide range of services, from heart scans to mammograms.
FMT spoke with IJN’s senior consultant radiologist, Dr Sulaiman Tamanang, to learn how mammograms can help detect breast cancer early, and what women can expect during a screening.
“A mammogram is the safest, simplest and easiest tool. It’s available everywhere. Of course, there are other modalities that can examine the breast, like an MRI. But an MRI is more expensive and not easily available,” said Sulaiman, 70, adding that mammograms are also cheap.
Mammograms, he explained, use X-rays that produce images.
“Early cancers usually present with microcalcification – a tiny knot of calcium – or sometimes, a very small structural distortion. And this can only be seen with a mammogram,” shared Sulaiman.
“Sometimes we can use ultrasound to look for growths in the breast as well. But as far as microcalcification goes, the only modality that can easily pick it up is mammography,” he added.
Sulaiman said women should have their first mammogram between the ages of 35 and 40. From age 40 onwards, annual screenings are recommended.
He also urged women in their 40s to conduct breast self-examinations regularly, and not wait for a full year for their next mammogram if they detect anything unusual.
After the age of 50, mammograms can be done every one to two years.
Explaining the reason for this recommended frequency, Sulaiman said: “In Malaysia, most patients are premenopausal, between 40 to 50 years old. But in the west, the incidence of breast cancer is higher among postmenopausal women, or those aged above 50.”
According to Sulaiman, statistics reveal that one in 19 women in Malaysia will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime and the number of cases rises about 2% to 5% annually.
The disease is most common among the Chinese, followed by Indians and Malays.
“The survival rate for early stage or stage-1 breast cancer is more than 98%. For those diagnosed in the late stage – stage 3 or 4 – the survival rate is less than 50%.
“If we can detect it early, usually, the patient doesn’t have to undergo a mastectomy, which is the removal of the whole breast. They can have a lumpectomy, where only the abnormal area is removed and that’s it. The breast is preserved,” he shared.
Early detection also reduces treatment costs, as patients in the later stages of breast cancer often require chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which can be very expensive.
So, it’s always better to be safe rather than sorry. At IJN, a mammogram screening takes only about 30 minutes, and the results are ready in about two hours.
The hospital uses 3D mammography, or tomosynthesis, which produces more accurate results.
The procedure is pain-free. While you may feel some slight discomfort, here’s a tip: schedule your mammogram after your menstrual cycle when your breasts feel less tender.
For women who are still hesitant about going for a mammogram, Sulaiman has this advice: “A small tumour is not painful and cannot be felt. Even if you have no family history of cancer, it does not mean you’re not at risk because statistics show that the majority of women with breast cancer have no family history of it.
“Don’t worry about radiation from the X-rays because your health is more important. The radiation exposure is very minimal and safe,” he added.
To those worried about the outcome, he added: “It’s better to know something early. The prognosis with early detection is very good. Don’t wait until you feel a lump to see a doctor for further investigation.”
Book a mammogram with IJN today. Learn more about IJN on its website, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.