Mammogram: Why It Is Done
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Why It Is Done
A mammogram is done to:
- Screen for breast cancer in women without symptoms.
- Detect breast cancer in women with symptoms. Symptoms of breast cancer may include a lump or thickening in the breast, nipple discharge, or dimpling of the skin on one area of the breast.
- Locate an area of suspicious breast tissue to remove for examination under a microscope (biopsy) when an abnormality is found.
| Last updated: | February 22, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS |
| Reviewed By: | Joy Melnikow, MD, MPH - Family Medicine, Deborah A. Penava, BA, MD, FRCSC, MPH - Obstetrics and Gynecology |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer |
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