When it comes to your mammogram, comfort and accuracy are key

​This is a sponsored post. All opinions, typos and grammatical errors are my own.

​I haven’t been very open in the past about my breast cancer story because it has been a difficult time for me. Now that I am in remission (read that as cancer free), I feel I can write about it, and hopefully help other women to take control of their health and make sure to listen to their bodies and allow for early detection on any breast conditions.

It was a few years ago that I woke up the day after the New Year’s celebrations with a swollen breast; it looked like a spider bite. I called the doctor and they scheduled me right away. I was not even 40 years old. I hadn’t had any type of screenings before because I was too young for them.

They sent me for my first mammogram. I had heard about how painful and uncomfortable they were and I was very scared. Gosh, it was uncomfortable. I was already in pain and really did not need a heavy machine to cause more pain.

Not only was the exam uncomfortable, but then, the news wasn’t awesome. They saw something and I needed a biopsy. Then it was the actual words you never want to hear: You have breast cancer.
It has been a long journey. The good news is that I am now in remission. However, part of the journey includes having mammograms often. I always dreaded the moment I had to have another mammogram. They are so uncomfortable. And I’m not alone! A recent survey found that the number one reason women avoid getting their mammograms is fear of pain.[1]

Guess what? Now we don’t have to dread those appointments any more. There is a more comfortable mammogram that can detect breast cancer earlier than 2D.  Because you know that when it comes to your mammogram, accuracy and peace of mind are key. Hologic’s Genius™ 3D Mammography™ exam is the only mammogram clinically proven to detect 20 to 65 percent more invasive breast cancer compared to 2D mammography alone. [2],[3],[4]

The SmartCurve™ breast stabilization system, available with the Genius™ exam, features a proprietary curved surface that mirrors the shape of a woman’s breast to reduce pinching and allow better distribution of force over the entire breast. Say hello to more comfortable mammograms and bye to the fear of discomfort.

The Genius™ exam is also the only mammogram that is FDA approved as superior for women with dense breasts.[5] Now, you might be thinking my breast are small, not dense, I don’t need a Genius™ exam. Believe it or not, density has nothing to do with the fattiness or sagginess of your breast, in fact, it can only be measured on a mammogram, and it can significantly increase your risk of developing breast cancer.[6],[7] Nearly 50 percent of women have dense breast tissue, and alarmingly, a recent Hologic survey conducted online by The Harris Poll found a whopping 64% of U.S. women do not know that the density of a woman’s breasts impacts her risk of developing breast cancer.[1]  A Federal Breast Density Notification Law was recently signed, requiring patients and referring providers be notified about breast density.  So, make sure you ask your provider if you have dense breasts! 

Join me in making every month Breast Cancer Awareness Month: get your Genius™ exam today. The Genius™ exam is available in all 50 states and if you would like to find an exam near you, visit Genius3DNearMe.com. The Genius™ exam is covered by most major insurance plans.

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​[1] HOLOGIC survey, conducted online by The Harris Poll among over 1,000 U.S. women.

[2] The Genius™3D Mammography™ exam (a.k.a. Genius™ exam) is acquired on the Hologic® 3D
Mammography™ system and consists of a 2D and 3D™ image set, where the 2D image can be
either an acquired 2D image or a 2D image generated from the 3D™ image set. The Genius™ exam is only available on the Hologic® 3D Mammography™ system. Please consult your physician for a full list of benefits and risks associated with mammography.
[3] Results from Friedewald, SM, et al. “Breast cancer screening using tomosynthesis in combination with digital mammography.” JAMA 311.24 (2014): 2499-2507; a multi-site (13), non-randomized, historical control study of 454,000 screening mammograms investigating the initial impact the introduction of the Hologic Selenia® Dimensions® on screening outcomes. Individual results may vary. The study found an average 41% increase and that 1.2 (95% CI: 0.8-1.6) additional invasive breast cancers per 1,000 screening exams were found in women receiving combined 2D FFDM and 3D™ mammograms acquired with the Hologic 3D Mammography™ System versus women receiving 2D FFDM mammograms only.
[4] Bernardi D, Macaskill P, Pellegrini M, et. al. Breast cancer screening with tomosynthesis (3D mammography) with acquired or synthetic 2D mammography compared with 2D mammography alone (STORM-2): a population-based prospective study. Lancet Oncol. 2016 Aug;17(8):1105-13.
[5] FDA submissions P080003, P080003/S001, P080003/S004, P080003/S005.
[6] Boyd NF, Guo H, Martin LJ, et al. Mammographic density and the risk and detection of breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 356(3):227-36, 2007.
[7] Yaghjyan L, Colditz GA, Collins LC, et al. Mammographic breast density and subsequent risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women according to tumor characteristics. J Natl Cancer Inst. 103(15):1179-89, 2011.