Article: Breast Cancer Screening for Trans People

[Carolyn Marie]

https://www.breastcancer.org/news/screening-transgender-non-binary

 

Critical, perhaps even life saving advice for all trans people.

 

Carolyn Marie

[VickySGV]

I had one last year about this time, but only get them every two years unless I or my doctor feels anything unusual in between.  One scare the first time, but it was benign tissue, and still there 10 years later with no changes.

[KayC]

Thank you for posting this @Carolyn Marie🙏  I just started HRT (a week ago) and I was wondering when I would start testing.  Now I know ❤️🙂

[Carolyn Marie]

This is just as important for trans men, whether or not they have had top surgery.  I'm also hearing that AI is being used more often now to identify potential positives, and they are faster and more accurate than human radiologists.

 

Carolyn Marie

[KathyLauren]

I have my second mammogram later this week.  I had one last year, and they decided that I should be checked every year because my breasts are dense and patchy.  I guess tumours are hard to detect in that kind of tissue, so getting it done every year makes it easier for them to spot changes.

 

The guidelines here for trans women are to get the first one done after 5 years of HRT, then as required depending on results after that.

 

 

[DianaUSUK]

One of the reasons I joined this site (I'm new, hello by the way) is I've been dealing with breast cancer recently, and was interested if other women here had the same experience.

 

But yes, definitely get your mammograms done, especially if you are over 40.  I had not had mine done in maybe 10 years and I felt a lump in my left breast last year and had it checked and it was cancerous.  So far the cancer hasn't returned after they removed a part of my breast, but I'm not out of the woods yet and am getting checked regularly now.  I was definitely neglectful about getting myself checked.

 

Definitely get your mammograms.  It does happen, believe me.

[ChloeL]

Hope that works out well for you Diana!

 

You said especially over 40, at what age should we start?  I don't have a large amount of breast growth yet as I just started hormones over a year ago, but is this something we should be checking for in our 20's too?  Or just not as often?

[Birdie]

35 minutes ago, ChloeL said:

Hope that works out well for you Diana!

 

You said especially over 40, at what age should we start?  I don't have a large amount of breast growth yet as I just started hormones over a year ago, but is this something we should be checking for in our 20's too?  Or just not as often?

I had breasts cancer at 34 years old, I had a lumpectomy done. I get a mammogram every year because of it. 

[Charlize]

Thanks for posting this Carolyn Marie  It reminds me that once recovered from hip surgery i should get another mammogram as well as a visit to the dermatologist.

 

Hugs,

 

Charlize

[Madison_1990]

When I saw my doctor for a checkup in June, she recommended starting to get a mammogram at least every few years, which I did last month.  I am 33 years old now, so I'm not sure about your 20s (even though it can't hurt), but by your 30s, I think it's a good idea.

 

Did you have to have reconstructive surgery done on your breast, @Birdie and @DianaUSUK?

[Birdie]

5 minutes ago, Madison_1990 said:

When I saw my doctor for a checkup in June, she recommended starting to get a mammogram at least every few years, which I did last month.  I am 33 years old now, so I'm not sure about your 20s (even though it can't hurt), but by your 30s, I think it's a good idea.

 

Did you have to have reconstructive surgery done on your breast, @Birdie and @DianaUSUK?

No, they took out a good chunk of my left breast. It was deformed for many years but slowly grew back in again. It is now my largest breast, and you can only tell because of the scar. 

[Madison_1990]

Am glad to hear that @Birdie.

 

One of my co-workers had her entire breast removed because of cancer when she was in her 40s.  That was probably 10 years ago and she had full reconstruction done (I assume that means an implant, though I never asked) and now, even when she wears something with a lower neckline, you definitely can't tell.

 

It's something all women need to keep checked out, for sure.  It can happen to any of us.

[DianaUSUK]

@Madison_1990 No I didn't need any reconstruction, fortunately.

[Madison_1990]

On 8/12/2023 at 12:18 PM, DianaUSUK said:

@Madison_1990 No I didn't need any reconstruction, fortunately.

 

Glad to hear that Diana!

[KathyLauren]

I just got the results of my second mammogram.  No cancer.  Yay!

 

Because my breasts are "category C", heterogeneously dense, I have to go back again next year.

[Birdie]

On 8/11/2023 at 5:33 PM, Madison_1990 said:

even when she wears something with a lower neckline, you definitely can't tell

 She is very lucky. They opened me up right on the side of my left breast in the cleavage area. When I wear a low cut top that shows my cleavage the scar is right there visible. 

[Madison_1990]

@KathyLauren that's really great to hear!  

 

@Birdie I talked to her about it once, and they were able to get the cancer-infected tissue out through an incision at the bottom of the breast, and also reconstructed it through that incision as well, so I guess she's lucky that her scar is under her breast so it doesn't show.  I'm sorry that yours is visible like that.

[VickySGV]

2 hours ago, Scotty said:

Being that is was family, does that put a person at a high degree of risk when going on HRT? Or would doctors advice not even going on HRT?

 

In a family that has a history of breast cancer, both males and females can have an increased risk, and therefor need monitoring by their medical care teams.  Yes, cis males can get it too!!

 

I would check with a clinic or medical provider as to what they think about HRT for you in light of your family history, but I have friends with a terrible history in their families that are doing fine on HRT, but they do follow all of the safety precautions for their cis female family members.  Trans people on HRT do tend to have dense breast tissue that makes it especially necessary to follow their medical team's prescribed medical exams including mammograms.  Trust your medical providers and follow their advice, but do take the route of asking them.

[KymmieL]

A couple years ago. My GYN asked me to "show others" meaning transwoman. That we too need cancer screening. So I had a mammogram. I am probably do for another one soon.

 

Kymmie

[Rishaya]

I’ve had an orchiectomy and don’t take estrogen because I’m a stroke survivor.  So no sex hormones at all.  Would I still need mamograms?

[Carolyn Marie]

56 minutes ago, Rishaya said:

I’ve had an orchiectomy and don’t take estrogen because I’m a stroke survivor.  So no sex hormones at all.  Would I still need mamograms?

 

Not if you don't have breasts.

 

Carolyn Marie

[VickySGV]

3 hours ago, Carolyn Marie said:

Not if you don't have breasts.

 

@Rishaya  I don't normally catch a problem with what Carolyn Marie says, but YES even males without HRT to the girl side can be instructed by their doctors to get a breast x-ray.  If you find suspicious lumps, even without E juice, talk to your doctor and you could well be given an instruction to have a mammogram. 

[Sally Stone]

I have a very close cis male friend who had breast cancer and had to have surgery to have the tumor removed.  Males are not immune.  

[awkward-yet-sweet]

Yep, even cis males can get breast cancer.  Its just less likely.  And cis women with smaller breasts (or none) apparently get breast cancer at the same rate as cis women with larger breasts.  The scan process for small (or flat) breasts is a bit different, and imaging the denser tissue of small breasts is a bit more difficult. On the flip side, if you're smaller, any abnormalities should be easier to feel on a self-exam. 

 

Age is also a factor.  If you're 35 or under, a mammogram isn't necessary and younger breast tissue is also denser and more difficult to image.  After age 40 is when you need to pay attention.  Part of me wonders if breast growth in trans women leads to the denser tissue of younger breasts?  I also wonder if hormone changes affect the possibility of getting breast cancer? 

[KathyLauren]

8 minutes ago, awkward-yet-sweet said:

Part of me wonders if breast growth in trans women leads to the denser tissue of younger breasts?  I also wonder if hormone changes affect the possibility of getting breast cancer? 

 

I don't think that trans women's breast cancer risk has been studied enough.  It is certainly complicated.  On the one hand, the breast tissue is much younger than the person's chronological age.  On the other hand, the stem cells that it grew from (and therefore the DNA that it incorporates) is as old as the person.

 

So I have 7 year old breasts with 69 year old DNA.  Is my risk similar to that of a women 7 years past puberty or a 69 year old?  I don't think anyone actually knows how that combination is going to behave.