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Believe,
Mammos did not work for me (don't work for about 30% of women). Nor did the ultrasound. I have dense breasts and only the breast MRI was able to reveal my DCIS. I could feel the tumor, which is how we knew something was there. One does not have to have large breast to be dense either... If you have already had a mammo, look at the report and it will tell you if you have dense breasts! There will even (usually) be a disclaimer at the bottom that mammos don't work for a % of the population). Before mammos, I did not know this. You do.
My onc still recomends that I do get all three modalities (mammo, US and MRI) anyway since mammos pick-up microcalcifications and the MRI does not. Yes, it costs more, but peace of mind is priceless.
My onc also told me that despite bc did not run in my family - it was a good idea that my daughter begin screening 10 years before my age of diagnosis (I was 43). I am especially concerned for her because my mom, father-in-law, mom-in-law and now me, have had some kind of cancer... At this point, I will be OK, but I really fear for my little girl...
By the way, I happened to buy a cancer policy 1 week before diagnosis (I guess you can say I was "lucky"), which really saved a ton on co-pays and allowed me to air travel (with a companion), paid hotels, paid ME for chemo treatments, mileage etc to see other onc's and actually was the incentive for me to get the breast MRI. Whodathunk a cancer policy could save a life ?!
You may want to look into that... not to say that you will get bc, but boyohboy- that was a good thing !
Anyway, you are doing the right thing in getting informed. That is POWER!
Stay well!
maria
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