Gammagrams - A New Test for Breast Cancer

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Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging aka the "Gammagram " uses a radioactive injection and then a picture is taken. Tumor cells brighten up quite vividly on the picture because they have a fast metabolism. This test is used when cancer is suspected, not as a screening tool like the annual mammogram. Whether it becomes commonly used will depend upon future studies that show it saves lives and money.

The benefits of a Gammagram is that doctors can easily read them and can make an immediate diagnosis. It also lets women avoid biopsies. When x-rays are too cloudy, the doctor usually says, "Come back in 6 months for a follow up test." No one wants to delay action for six months if it is cancer, so the Gammagram is a great follow up tool.

Ladies will like the fact that a Gammagram doesn't do any squishing (and you know what I mean!). The test takes less than an hour. Patients sit in a chair with their breast put between a plastic shield and a camera device.

Gammagrams are preferred over mammograms for women with dense breasts, breast implants, previous breast surgeries or lobular breast cancer. They can be used as a follow up if a lump is found or if there is an unusual mammogram result. Right now studies are ongoing to compare Gammagrams to MRI's and positron-emission tomography (PET) scans.

It's an expensive machine for the provider to purchase but all doctors really prefer its fast and easy to read results. Most insurance plans pay for the test.

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Breast Cancer Myths

1. "I’m too young to worry about breast cancer."
Fact: While it’s true that your breast cancer risk increases as you get older, the fact is that women of all ages are at risk for developing breast cancer. See: 5 Reasons Why Young Women Should Perform Monthly Breast Self Exam.
Note- I was in my 40's when diagnosed. The doctor told me there is a new, fast-growing incidence of ladies in their 40's getting breast cancer.

2. "There’s never been a case of breast cancer in my family so I don’t need to worry about it happening to me."
Fact: The truth is the majority of women diagnosed with breast cancer don’t have a family history of this devastating cancer. However, if your mother, sister, or grandmother ever had breast cancer your risk is significantly increased.See: Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool.
Note- I am the one and only person with breast cancer in my family tree.

3. "I don’t have a mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene so I’m sure breast cancer is not in my future." Fact: Don’t fool yourself! Not having a mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene does not mean you won’t get breast cancer. Actually, the truth is that almost all women (90 to 95 percent) diagnosed with breast cancer have neither a family history nor mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, according to the American Cancer Society. See: Understanding the BRCA Gene and Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer
Note- I had the BRCA tests and they were negative.

4. "The majority of women diagnosed with breast cancer had more than one risk factor prior to diagnosis."
Fact: All women are at risk for developing breast cancer whether they have known risk factors. In fact, the majority of breast cancer patients had no known risk factors, other than being female, for this frightening disease. See: Understanding Breast Cancer Risk
Note- I had no risk factors.

5. "Breast cancer is preventable."
Fact: Although a drug classified as an antiestrogen called, Tamoxifen may decrease breast cancer risk in certain women, the cause of breast cancer remains unknown and is not completely preventable. The real key to surviving breast cancer is early detection and treatment. See: FDA Approves Tamoxifen for Breast Cancer Prevention in High Risk Women
Note- there are many unavoidable environmental causes of breast cancer (pollution, food, chemical exposure...) and many more yet undiscovered ones. Living in a bubble and not eating your whole life is not an option.

6. "Having yearly mammograms will expose me to too much radiation and cancer will occur as a result."
Fact: According to the American College of Radiology, the benefits of annual mammograms far outweigh any risks that may occur because of the minute amount of radiation used during this screening and diagnostic procedure.See: Mammography Screening
Note- Don't worry about this!

7. "I’m not going to breastfeed because breastfeeding would increase my risk of getting breast cancer."
Fact: Just the opposite is true. Breastfeeding may actually decrease the risk of perimenopausal breast cancer. See: Breastfeeding Benefits Mom and Baby
Note- I didn't breast feed and still got cancer (but not the hormonal kind)


Source: Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation

Finding the Lump

I was just at the doctor for my yearly exam in November and do my self-checks several times a month. In April I scratched an itch and found a lump. I made an appointment with my doctor who ordered a mammogram and ultrasound and referred me to a surgeon and that set off the chain reaction that is now my life. One appointment, test, or surgery after another.