Mammograms are just one of the many exams and procedures women need to stay healthy . While they're not perfect, mammograms are one of the most effective screening tools we have for breast cancer, which will affect 1 in 8 women at some point in their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society .

Mammograms are a low-dose X-ray of the breast tissue, which providers use to look for signs that cancer may be developing. Being diagnosed early can make a big difference in survival rate for breast cancer, hence why it's so important to get screened regularly.

During a woman's first mammogram, it's not unusual for a provider to find some abnormal tissue — that's what the mammogram is designed to look for — but subsequent testing often reveals that it's not cancer and is normal for tha

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