When should I first be professionally examined for breast cancer?

I'm 20 years old, almost 21 and I sometimes freak myself out in the shower because I think I've felt a lump in my breast but obviously haven't because whenever I try to find it again I can't.
I was just wondering when I should go get professionally checked for breast cancer. I have a higher probability of getting it because my mum has had cancer twice.
There's a bus outside the local library that does breast scans, will they charge me for this? Can I claim on medicare?

You鈥檙e supposed to start screening exams at 40 or when you are 10 years younger than your mother was the first time she had breast cancer, which ever is youngest. You should get a physical exam every time you have a pap smear. You would only have Medicare if you were over 65 or permanently disabled. They would not cover a screening exam as mammograms are useless on someone your age and the exam is not medically necessary.

You don't say where you live. In the UK routine breast screening begins at 50, in the US at 40.

At your age, breast cancer is almost unheard of. It's mainly a disease of ageing; 80% of those diagnosed are over 50, only5% are under 40, fewer than 0.1% are under 30 and it's almost unknown in under 25s.

The mobile unit is probably offering mammograms; mammograms are not an effective diagnostic tool for younger women as their breast tissue is too dense. You will probably find that they are offering testing to older women only.

Unless your mum's cancer was breast cancer, it doesn't affect your chances of developing breast cancer; you don't inherit a general tendency to get cancer. Fewer than 10% of all cancer cases are hereditary, and in the case of breast cancer the figure is 5 - 10%.

You should get checked now, and if this question is any indication of how often you get exams, please also get an appointment for a pelvic exam and pap smear.

Even with a family history there is little to fear - except what you don't know. So go get the information you need (via exams) so you do know.

The bus outside your library is the one to ask the questions about their charges. Go ask them. Trust me, you won't be the first one to ask them about charges.

When you were a teen, you should've been going to get annual pap smears and when they do the paps, they will also give you a breast exam. If they feel any strange lumps, they will inquire about further tests. Just because your mom had cancer that came back, doesn't mean you're at a higher risk. Any of those mobile screening sites that go around only see women in the correct age group and you're not old enough for medicare. That's for seniors.


Someone is following me around, td obviously correct, many personal experience answers. Show yourself, coward.
It certainly doesn't change answer to incorrect, duh.

Everyone should see a Dr annually for a check up.
Your Dr is the one to advise what screening you should have, based on your personal and family medical history and lifestyle risks.
While you are too young to be having mammograms - your breast tissue should be too dense at your age - you should have a physical examination of your breasts at these annual check ups. You should also be having pap smears every second year unless advised otherwise.

Cancer is a silent killer, so be examined as soon as possible. The choice is in your hand now.

I would go now, its better to be safe then sorry. Nothing is free but it would be worth the cost to know and they can tell you if Medicare will pay. Bill