Just a reminder to all women AND men to check your breasts monthly for lumps and women, have your yearly mammograms. In this day of managed care, sometimes reports can fall between the cracks or health care professionals get so busy that they don't look at reports as carefully as they should.
13 years ago, my friend had this happen to her. She had a mammogram and the doctor told her all was fine. Then, she had to change providers due to health insurance changes and she didn't see the new doctor for awhile. When she did, she told the doctor that the previous report had been fine. Then, she found a lump on self exam. It turned out to be Stage 2 cancer and she had to have a lumpectomy. I'm happy to say that she is alive and well 13 years later, but this might have been prevented if her doctor had read the report carefully. The radiologist had found something suscipious and recommended another mammogram in 6 months.
As a patient, you have the right to all of your medical records. If my friend had known to ask for a copy of the radiologists report, she could have stayed on top of her situation and requested another mammogram in 6 months as suggested. So, do your monthly exams, have anything that wasn't there the month before checked out and when it's time for your yearly mammogram, request a copy of the radiologist report not only be sent to your doctor but also to you.
My friend was very fortunate. Someone else might not be. Please pass the message along.
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