Hellobee Boards

@Rubies: I don't think it means it runs on both sides of your family, but your odds might increase. My mom and one of my first cousin's on my dad's side are both breast cancer survivors.

I've always been told by my doctors that because of my mom's diagnosis I would have to get a mammogram at the age of 10 years before my mom was diagnosed. She was diagnosed at 42.

I had a mammogram, but my doctor said because of my age, my breast tissue is too dense and it was hard to get a read on it. (This would most likely apply to you, too, since you are 30. I'm 33, younger women have more dense breasts). I also had a breast ultrasound, which showed that I had a harmless cyst.

There's also the BRCA1 and BRCA2 test for hereditary breast cancer. My insurance paid for it because of my mom's history, you could also see about that test. (Both my mom and I tested negative for a mutation of these genes).

Talk to either your primary care physician or OB/GYN--I mostly dealt with my GYN about these issues.

i think obgyn does it every so often... but agree with @chopsuey119... you should do it yourself or get your SO to do it. =)

My mom had breast cancer, as did a few great-aunts on both sides. When my mom first had her surgery, her cancer doctor told me to start getting mammograms at age 30, but when I called after my birthday to set up an appointment, my doctor acted like I was nuts. She said I should start when I’m 40 (10 years before my mom’s age when she got cancer).

It does make me nervous because my mom never had a lump of any kind. She got regular mammograms, and within the 1 year between mammograms, her cancer was very advanced…so obviously, I want to catch it as early as possible if I were to have the same sort of diagnosis.

Has anyone in your family been tested for a BRCA mutation?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BRCA_mutation

My mom had breast cancer and was also tested for the cancer "gene". It was negative. Her cancer was almost entirely caused by taking synthetic estrogen in pill form. It feeds cancer sometimes. She was diagnosed at 51.

I asked my doctor about when I should be starting mammograms and there;s no reason to get them before I turn 40, since my mom's was onset after 50 (the most common time to get it) and she doesn't carry the gene.

Many types of cancers unfortunately run in my family.

I would talk to your doctor, I don't see anything wrong with getting a mammogram already if you want one just as a precaution. It does happen to a lot of younger women, look at Christina Applegate or Guiliana Rancic as examples.