Help Us Learn the Best Frequency for Mammograms

True Story, Fake Name

Emma came in for a second opinion. Should she continue annual mammograms? The problem was, they frequently showed worrisome areas in her breasts. About half-a-dozen times she'd needed a lump removed to test for cancer, but it was always negative. Her breast exam showed six or eight easily visible scars, two with shallow divots. She had obvious fibrocystic changes with normal small lumps-nothing alarming. She feared she was losing breast tissue for no reason.

I agreed. Mammography followed by biopsy when something appears questionable seems reasonable for most women, but not in her case. Her normal breast tissue often looked abnormal in a mammogram, hence the biopsies. I told her she could still get breast cancer, as any woman might, but mammography seemed to be adding to the problem. Maybe she should go back to the old system, periodic examination by her primary care doc followed by specialty consultation if a lump actually seemed to be enlarging. Or better yet, if she could manage it, an annual exam by a breast specialist. Surely there were other women in the same boat.

She returned a few times for this and other matters, then returned to her usual family doc. I wish I could tell you if she ever got breast cancer, but that's medicine in the real world. You don't always get to hear the rest of the story.

You Can Join a Study to Help Us Improve Breast Cancer Screening

For several decades, various physician groups have argued over the optimal age to begin screening for breast cancer. You may have seen some of this in the news, but the fighting was particularly intense behind the scenes. Start at age 40, start at age 50, don't do them at all, stop at age 75, do MRI's instead-you needed your head on a swivel.

You can help solve this problem by joining the WISDOM study. So far, over 50,000 women have signed up. Voluntary participation will help answer this question: does an annual standardized screening work best, or are women better off with screening guided by family history, genetic testing, and other personalized measures? Perhaps this more individualized approach can let us avoid unnecessary mammograms.

You see, it's an open question. Screen frequently and you get some falsely positive tests and sometimes do unnecessary surgery. Screen less frequently and some women have aggressive breast cancer diagnosed less promptly. This is a way to solve this.

You may be eligible to sign up and help find out the answer.