October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
This is the 27th anniversary of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Patients First Health Care is encouraging women to take charge of their own breast health. Practice regular self exams and schedule your annual well-check and mammogram. During the month of October a free gift and generational wellness card will be provided to every woman who receives a mammogram at the Patients First Diagnostic Center in Washington. Call your primary care physician or gynecologist today to schedule your mammogram. Education and early detection is the key to saving lives.
What is breast cancer screening? - Breast cancer screening is a way in which doctors check the breasts for early signs of cancer in women who have no symptoms of breast cancer. The main test used to screen for breast cancer is a mammogram. This is usually combined with regular breast exams done by the doctor or nurse. The goal of breast cancer screening is to find cancer early, before it has a chance to grow, spread or cause problems. Studies show that being screened for breast cancer lowers the chance that a woman will die of the disease.
Who should be screened for breast cancer? - Patients First follows the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines, which recommend annual clinical breast exams and annual mammograms after the age of 40. Women who are at high risk of breast cancer sometimes need to begin screening at a young age. This might include women who
- · Carry genes that increase their risk of breast cancer, such as the “BRCA” genes
- · Have close relatives who got breast cancer at a young age
You should talk with your doctor or nurse to decide when you should start screening.
What are the benefits of being screened for breast cancer? - The main benefit of screening is that it helps doctors find cancer early, when it is easier to treat. This lowers the chances of dying of breast cancer.
What are the drawbacks to being screened for breast cancer? - The drawbacks include:
- · False positives — Mammograms sometimes give “false positives,” meaning they suggest a woman might have cancer when she does not. This can lead to unneeded worry and to more tests—including a biopsy in some cases.
- · Radiation exposure — Like all X-rays, mammograms expose you to some radiation. But studies show that the number of lives saved by catching cancer early greatly outweighs the very small risks that come from radiation exposure.
What happens during a mammogram? - Before the mammogram, you will need to undress from the waist up and put on a pink cape. To make the breast tissue easier to see, a technologist will flatten each breast between two panels. This can be uncomfortable, but it lasts only a few seconds. If possible, avoid scheduling your mammogram just before or during your period. Breasts are extra sensitive at that time. Also, do not use underarm deodorant or powder on the day of your appointment.
What happens after a mammogram? - A radiologist (the doctor who specializes in x-ray) will look at your mammogram and provide a report to your physician. You will receive a letter from the mammography department, as well as you may receive a phone call from your doctor’s office informing you of your results. If your prior mammograms are available for comparison, these results should be to you with seven business days. If we need to request your prior mammograms from another facility, it may take up to 14-21 business days before a letter is sent to you, but you should receive your letter within 30 days. If you do not hear back about your results, call your doctor or nurse's office. Do not assume that your mammogram was normal if you hear nothing.
What if my mammogram is abnormal? - If your mammogram is abnormal, don't panic. Nine out of 10 women with an abnormal mammogram turn out NOT to have breast cancer. You will need more tests to find out what's really going on.
If your doctor thinks your abnormal result is probably NOT due to cancer, he or she might suggest that you wait and have another mammogram in six months. If your doctor thinks the abnormal result might be due to cancer, he or she will probably send you for more tests. Other tests could include a more detailed mammogram, called a diagnostic mammogram, or an ultrasound of the breast.
If the other tests still show any suspicious findings, your doctor or nurse will probably order a biopsy. During a biopsy, a doctor takes samples of breast tissue and sends them to the lab to be checked for cancer. Biopsies are usually done by taking some tissue from the breast with a needle during a mammogram or ultrasound. But in some cases biopsies involve a small surgery.
What about breast exams? - Your doctor or nurse should do a breast exam on a regular basis as part of breast cancer screening. During the exam, the doctor or nurse will look at your breasts and then carefully feel both breasts and the area under both arms. He or she will look for lumps, nipple changes, or any changes in the tissue or skin that could signal cancer.
Some women also like to do exams on their own breasts. No study has shown that breast self-exams lower the risk of dying from breast cancer, and most experts do not encourage self exams. Still, if you decide to do breast self-exams, make sure you know how to do them the right way.
Can I have a breast MRI instead of a mammogram? - Women are hearing a lot about breast MRIs in the news. But breast MRIs are not for everyone. Compared with mammograms, breast MRIs give more "false positives" and sometimes lead to unneeded biopsies. Still, breast MRIs are sometimes used to help find breast cancer in young women who have a high risk of breast cancer. Doctors do not recommend breast MRI to screen for breast cancer in women who do not have a high risk of breast cancer. In any case, MRIs don’t replace mammograms. They are used with mammograms for the high-risk women who need them.
How often should I have a mammogram? - As stated above, Patients First follows the NCCN guidelines, which recommend that screening mammograms begin at age 40 and be done on an annual basis (every year). Routine screening (with mammograms and breast exams) should continue as long as the woman is otherwise healthy and can tolerate treatment, if an abnormality is found.