Department of Health and Human ServicesFood and Drug Administration5600 Fishers Lane, (HFI-40)Rockville, MD 20857

March 2000(FDA)00-4269

The Food and Drug Administration(FDA) is part of the United States

Government. It is one of FDA’s jobs toinspect and certify facilities

that do mammograms.

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What Is A Mammogram?

A mammogram is a special kindof x-ray of the breasts.Mammograms are used to helpfind breast cancer early, when itcan still be cured.

Mammograms arerecommended for women over40 years old even if they haveno signs of breast cancer.

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What AboutYounger Women?

Mammograms are alsorecommended foryounger women whohave symptoms ofbreast cancer or whohave a high risk ofgetting breast cancer.

Why AreMammogramsImportant?

A mammogram can save yourlife. Mammograms can showtumors that may be cancer longbefore they can be felt. Treatingtumors when they are still smallmakes curing cancer easier.

You usually need to go to aspecial clinic to get amammogram. FDA inspectsand certifies all places in theUnited States wheremammograms are done.

Look for the FDA certificate atthe clinic where you go for yourmammogram. FDA certificationmeans the clinic’s equipmentand staff meet federal standardsand that your mammogram willbe safe and of high quality.

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Who Gets Breast Cancer?

Any woman can get breastcancer. Each year, about185,000 women in the UnitedStates get breast cancer andabout 44,000 die from it.

You may be more likely to getbreast cancer if you:❍ Have a mother or sister who

had breast cancer.❍ Have inherited certain

genes. These genes are morecommon in people withJewish ancestors fromEastern Europe.

❍ Had your first menstrualperiod before you were 12.

❍ Stopped having periodsafter you were 50.

❍ Never had children or hadyour first child when youwere over 30.

❍ Have had radiationtreatments to your chestarea.

Also, the older you are, themore likely you are to get breastcancer. Remember, though, thatone out of four women who getbreast cancer don’t have any ofthese risks.

1) Look at your breasts in a mirror tosee if there is anything you haven’tnoticed before such as:

❍ discharge from the nipples❍ change in how the nipple

looks❍ change in how the skin

looks.

2) Still looking in the mirror, joinyour hands behind your head andpress them gently against the back ofyour neck. Are there any changesfrom last month in how your breastslook?

3) Still looking in the mirror, pressyour hands on your hips. Bowslightly forward, pulling yourshoulders and elbows forward.Look forchangessince lastmonthin howyourbreastslook.

How To Examine Your Breasts

4) When you’re in the shower andyour skin is soapy, do this exam.Raise your left arm. Using 3 or 4fingers of your right hand, begin atthe outer edge of your breast. Pressyour fingers firmly into your breastand slowly move your hand incircles until you reach the nipple.Make sure you examine the entirebreast. In the same way, examinethe area between the breast andarmpit, and then the armpit itself.Do you feel any lump under theskin? Gently squeeze the nipple. Isthere any discharge? Do the samething with your right arm raised andyour left hand examining your rightbreast.

5) Get out of the shower, dry off,and lie down on your back. Repeat

the sameexam as in#4.

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Examinations AreImportant

Three kinds of exams can helpdetect breast cancer:❍ Mammography❍ Doctor’s exam❍ Self-exam

It’s important to have a doctorexamine your breasts at leastonce a year. It’s also importantto examine your breasts

yourself once a month.Some women find it’s easiestto do this at the same timeeach month, like when yourmenstrual period ends.

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➡

What If My MammogramShows A Problem?

Mammograms can show if theinside of the breast looksnormal. But a mammogramcan’t show for sure whether youhave breast cancer.

If you have a mammogram thatdoesn’t look normal, yourdoctor will probably suggest abiopsy—a tissue sample of thebreast. A biopsy is minorsurgery. The breast tissue froma biopsy is tested in a laboratoryto see if it’s cancerous.

Remember, just because aproblem area shows up on your

mammogram that doesn’t meanyou have cancer. Cancer canonly be diagnosed by a lab teston tissue from your breast.

How Breast Cancer IsTreated

There are a number of treat-ments for breast cancer. Thetreatment depends on the typeof tumor, whether the cancerhas spread, and other facts youand your doctor will discuss.Some treatments are:❍ Lumpectomy—Surgery thatremoves the lump or tumor anda small amount of breast tissuearound it, leaving the rest of thebreast. A lumpectomy is usuallythe preferred treatment whencancer hasn’t spread outside thebreast.

❍ Total Mastectomy—Surgerythat removes the entire breastand usually the adjoining lymphnodes. This may be necessarywhen there is more than onecancer in the breast, or when asingle cancer is large whencompared to the breast. Breastreconstruction is usuallyavailable to women who havehad a breast removed. If youhave a breast removed, you maywant to talk with your doctorabout various types of surgicalbreast reconstruction and decideif reconstruction is right for you.

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❍ Radiation Therapy—Radiation from specialequipment is aimed at thetumor to kill cancer cells andshrink the tumor.

❍ Treatment with one or moredrugs.

Radiation and drug treatmentare often given after surgery.

How To Find A Clinic

To find out what mammographyclinics in your area arecertified by FDA, call1-800-4-CANCER(1-800-422-6237) or alocal chapter of theAmerican CancerSociety listed in yourphone book. If you arehearing impaired, youcan call 1-800-332-8615 TTY.

If you have computer access to the World Wide Web,you can find a list of FDA-certified facilities onwww.fda.gov/cdrh/mammography.certified.html.

Food and Drug

UNITE

D STATES GOVERNMENT

Administration

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Do You Have MoreQuestions?

FDA may have an office nearyou. Look for their numberin the blue pages ofthe phone book.

You can alsocontact FDAthrough its toll-free number,1-888-INFO-FDA(1-888-463-6332).

Or, on the World Wide Web atwww.fda.gov.