HOUSTON — October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Friday is National Mammography Day.
A mammogram can detect cancer years before physical symptoms, such as lumps, develop.
Dr. Claudia Cotes is a breast imaging specialist at UTHealth Houston.
For women of average risk, it's recommended to get yearly mammograms starting at age 40. For those at high risk, the annual checkups should begin at 30.
"Some people need to start earlier, you know, if they have genetic predispositions or family members, first-degree family members, that have had breast cancer at a young age. They should start 10 years before that age," Cotes said.
The radiologist explained cancers look white on mammograms, as does dense breast tissue, which can make it tough to clearly see cancers.
"You see this triangular marker right here? The patient was pointing to an area that she could feel, so we could see this area -- we could see the lump, we could see the skin was thickened," Cotes said.
Since 1990, mammography has helped reduce breast cancer deaths by about 40% -- the key being early detection and treatment.
To protect themselves, women can exercise, reduce alcohol intake and watch their weight.
"We know that women who are obese, or obesity -- because women have more estrogen -- fatty tissue can develop into estrogen in the process of metabolism, then these women can have increased risk," Cotes said.
About 70% of breast cancers in the United States use estrogen to help them grow.
Cotes is a big supporter of regular mammogram screenings, in part, because in her home country of Colombia, a mammogram detected early cancer in her mother -- allowing enough time for proper treatment.