Low-dose mammography radiation can be harmful to young women with a genetic predisposition to breast cancer, who should use alternative detection methods. Repeated x-rays can also cause cancer and heart disease. Mammography radiation can cause irreversible damage to specific DNA cells, increasing the risk of breast cancer. Experts recommend discussing recent radiation exposure with a doctor before undergoing mammography. The risk for healthy women over 35 or 40 is minimal, but cellular damage always accompanies radiation exposure.
In weighing the benefits versus the risks of mammography radiation, the researchers found that low-dose radiation can be very harmful to young women who have a genetic predisposition to breast cancer. For these women, experts recommend avoiding mammography radiation and using alternative methods of cancer detection. In women of all ages, however, the risks of repeated x-rays can also cause cancer to develop in the breast tissue, and some experts believe it may contribute to the development of heart disease as well. For most women, experts agree that a regular mammogram is a safe procedure with very low risks.
Mammography radiation can cause irreversible damage to specific DNA cells such as breast tissue cells identified as BRCA1 AND BRCA2 cells. These mutated cells do not recover from radiation damage and, therefore, place women with these mutations at an increased risk of developing breast cancer. Doctors believe that women with these breast cell mutations aged 25 or younger benefit most from trying to detect cancer via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) without radiation or ultrasound procedures.
According to some experts, the amount of radiation exposure from mammography is very low. Others, however, claim that the radiation levels from mammography exceed 150 times the amount of radiation received via a regular chest X-ray. With each breast receiving a minimum of two x-rays, a total of four x-rays are common in most mammography exams. Doctors concerned about these amounts argue that there is no safe level of radiation and that even the lowest doses present the possibility of genetic mutations, which can cause cancer cells to develop.
In addition to the development of breast cancer, some experts argue that radiation exposure can also contribute to the development of cancer elsewhere in the body, as well as the development of heart disease. This is especially concerning for mammography patients who have also had recent x-rays for other tests, including dental exams and chest exams. For these individuals, mammography radiation only increases overall exposure levels and can cause irreparable cellular damage.
Experts advise women to discuss recent encounters with radiation with their doctors before agreeing to be exposed to mammography radiation. This could minimize the risks of cell damage. While mammography radiation poses a serious cancer risk for young women with genetic histories of breast cancer, most research concludes that the risk for healthy women over the age of 35 or 40 is minimal, although the chance of Cellular damage always accompanies radiation exposure even at minute levels.
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