They won't give my cousin a Mammogram

nicmarie75
nicmarie75 Member Posts: 57 Member
in Breast Cancer #1
My cousin felt a lump last month, as did her Dr. who then told her to come back later in the month after her period. She called to make an appt. and he said she was too young for a Mammogram! She will be 30 in June. They will however give her an Ultrasound and her appt. is next Friday. Is an Ultrasound alone good enough? If it were me I would demand both. Thoughts?

Comments

  • missingtexas
    missingtexas Member Posts: 146
    #2
    Not 100% sure...
    but I do know that mammograms are not always very accurate in young women due to denser tissue. Maybe the plan is to do an ultrasound and proceed depending on those results.
  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #3
    missingtexas said:

    Not 100% sure...
    but I do know that mammograms are not always very accurate in young women due to denser tissue. Maybe the plan is to do an ultrasound and proceed depending on those results.

    Ultrasound may be to rule out it being a benign cyst
    Since your cousin has already identified a lump (which is what mammograms are typically used for), an ultrasound seems like a logical next step to me.

    When I was being diagnosed, the radiologist did exactly that, and explained that an ultrasound would show if the lump was just a benign cyst or not ("Or not" meant that a biopsy came next.).

    And yes, as missingtexas says, young women typically have much denser breast tissue, which can make mammograms ineffective for them. As my OB/GYN used to say about my young, dense breast tissue way back when, "like looking for a polar bear in a snowstorm."

    Hope that helps?

    Traci
  • nicmarie75
    nicmarie75 Member Posts: 57 Member
    #4
    TraciInLA said:

    Ultrasound may be to rule out it being a benign cyst
    Since your cousin has already identified a lump (which is what mammograms are typically used for), an ultrasound seems like a logical next step to me.

    When I was being diagnosed, the radiologist did exactly that, and explained that an ultrasound would show if the lump was just a benign cyst or not ("Or not" meant that a biopsy came next.).

    And yes, as missingtexas says, young women typically have much denser breast tissue, which can make mammograms ineffective for them. As my OB/GYN used to say about my young, dense breast tissue way back when, "like looking for a polar bear in a snowstorm."

    Hope that helps?

    Traci

    Thank You Ladies
    This helps ease my mind. I don't know much about these things and I feel better. Just praying for good news from the Ultrasound.
  • lolad
    lolad Member Posts: 670
    #5
    What right do they have
    to say that she is to young, boy that really makes me mad. I know that i had an ultrasound After they saw something in my mamo. The ultrasound will give the dr a clearer picture to see if the lump is a solid mass or fluid filled. If it is solid then it is a tumor, not always cancerous tho. They should do a biopsy on it if it is. If it is fluid filled it will most likely be a cyst. Prayers are with you and your family and let us know how it turns out.
    laura
  • mom62
    mom62 Member Posts: 604 Member
    #6
    Any History
    If you have any history of breast cancer in your family they have to allow you to have one. Is it the doctor or the insurance. If it is the doctor he is wrong as long as he has a medical reason to order it (LUMP) he can. Find another doctor if the ultrasound isn't successful.

    Terry

Discussion Boards