Can mammograms detect early breast cancer in obese women?

Question

Hello doctor,

My cousin is obese, and she did her yearly checkup. Does that include mammography? I am wondering if a regular mammogram can detect all cancers in the breast.

Is it enough to catch all problems, or could there be some errors like type I or type II?
I have heard breast cancer screening is important, but how accurate are these medical imaging tests?
Could they miss anything or not show everything in the breasts?
Sometimes, I worry it might not find every small issue, you know. Does it even check for exosomes?
I just want to make sure she is covered, especially with her weight. What is the best test to find breast cancer early?

Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I read your query and can understand your concern.

A regular mammogram is designed to detect abnormalities in breast tissue, such as masses or microcalcifications, which could be early signs of cancer. Two types of errors could occur in breast cancer screening:

False positive: This is when the mammogram detects something suspicious, but further tests show it is not cancer. False positives can cause anxiety and lead to unnecessary biopsies.
False negative: This is when the mammogram misses cancer that is present. This can happen, especially with dense breast tissue, where it is harder to detect abnormalities on the imaging. Dense tissue can obscure small tumors or other changes in the breast. Women with dense breast tissue might need an ultrasound or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).

Exosomes are small particles released by cells, including cancer cells, that carry information and could potentially be used in the future for cancer detection. However, mammograms and current breast cancer screening methods do not check for exosomes.

The best test for early detection of breast cancer depends on a

Women's specific risk factors.
Age.
Breast density.
Family history.

A physical examination by a doctor in a hospital is a must.

I hope I have answered your question.

Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards.