How worried should I be about a mammogram call back?

Getting called back after a screening mammogram is pretty common but can be scary. But getting called back does not mean you have breast cancer. It means that the doctors have found something they want to look at more closely. If you get called back, it’s usually to take new pictures or get other tests.

What percent of mammogram callbacks are cancer?

Of all women who receive regular mammograms, about 10 percent will get called back for further testing and of those, only about 0.5 percent will be found to have cancer. Your chances of being diagnosed with cancer after a callback are small, but your doctor wants to be sure there is no cancer present.

How common are recalls for mammograms?

About four out of every 100 women screened are recalled. You’re slightly more likely to be recalled after your first mammogram. Of these four people recalled, three will not have breast cancer. They might have a normal breast change or a benign (not cancer) condition.

What does a mammogram callback mean?

Mammogram callbacks can be stressful and make a patient fear the worst, but additional screenings are ordered for many reasons. A callback does not automatically mean breast cancer. It simply means the radiologist found something they want to further investigate in the breast on the screening mammogram.

Is it normal to be called back for a second mammogram?

Getting called back for additional mammogram views or a biopsy is pretty common and doesn’t necessarily mean you have cancer. Fewer than 1 in 10 women who are called back after a routine screening mammogram for additional views or other tests turn out to have breast cancer.

Is no news good news after mammogram?

If your mammogram shows nothing unusual, your doctor may insert the report directly into your record without calling you. He or she might assume you expect a call only about something abnormal. Don’t assume that “no news is good news.” Make it clear to your doctor that you want to hear any and all results.

Is it normal to get called back for a second mammogram?

Is it normal to get a call back after a mammogram?

Getting called back after a screening mammogram is fairly common, and it doesn’t mean you have breast cancer. In fact, fewer than 1 in 10 women called back for more tests are found to have cancer. Often, it just means more x-rays or an ultrasound needs to be done to get a closer look at an area of concern.

What does a breast ultrasound show that a mammogram doesn t?

Ultrasound is good at evaluating superficial lumps, but a mammogram is better able to note abnormalities deeper in breast tissue. Ultrasound doesn’t show microcalcifications, the minute accumulation of calcium around a tumor and the most common feature seen on a mammogram.

Why would a doctor order an ultrasound after a mammogram?

A breast ultrasound is most often done to find out if a problem found by a mammogram or physical exam of the breast may be a cyst filled with fluid or a solid tumor.

What does it mean when you get called back after a mammogram?

Is it anxiety over abnormal mammogram findings and callbacks?

Anxiety over abnormal mammogram findings and callbacks is quite common. What Is Anxiety? Breast cancer screening and diagnostic procedures can be anxiety provoking, especially for those of us with personal histories of cancer, and those who are high-risk. The official name for this type of worry is “breast cancer screening anxiety.”.

What should I do if my mammogram results are negative?

If the results are negative or benign, that means no cancer was found. Be sure to ask the doctor whether you need any additional follow-up and when you should have your next screening mammogram. If the biopsy shows that you do have cancer, your doctor may refer you to a breast surgeon or other breast specialist.

What happens if you have a repeat mammogram?

In fact, most repeat mammograms do not find cancer. What will happen at the follow-up appointment? You’ll likely get another mammogram called a diagnostic mammogram. (Your previous mammogram was called a screening mammogram.)