Ladies! Get Screened for Breast Cancer
October 05, 2022
When should women start getting breast exams?
It depends on risk factors:- Average-risk women: Most medical organizations recommend the first mammogram between 40 and 44.
- Higher-risk women: Dependent on their high risk, which will dictate when they start screening, but generally around the age of 30 and not before 25 years old.
Ways to Schedule Your Mammogram
Early detection through mammograms and advanced treatments are helping save more lives than ever before. So schedule your mammogram today!
Risk factors and preventative steps
Some risk factors are controllable and are associated with how estrogen is managed in the body, such as weight and alcohol consumption. For example, it’s recommended to limit alcohol consumption because alcohol is metabolized in the liver, which can vary the amount of estrogen in the body.
More lives are being saved through early detection and advanced treatments. And although screenings do not prevent breast cancer, they can help find breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat. In addition, your provider can help you understand which breast cancer screening tests are right for you.
A variety of diagnostic tests (ultrasound or MRI) may be ordered if a mammogram reveals potential cancer. First, the tests look for soft tissue breast abnormalities, which may be benign cysts or tumors. Then, a biopsy may be requested to determine if these masses are indeed cancerous.
Types of screenings
3-D Digital Tomosynthesis Mammography
Renown Health proudly offers the latest technology in digital mammography, 3-D tomosynthesis, at all locations. Mammograms are x-rayed images of the breast(s) used to screen for breast cancer and to evaluate changes that could be cancer. Mammograms find a number of changes within the breast, many of which are not cancer, such as fluid-filled cysts or round masses called fibroadenomas. A 3-D mammogram combines multiple layers of x-rays into one image of the breast. The experience is the same for the patient, with compression from side to side or top to bottom. The radiologist can use a computer to manipulate those images so they can be viewed in greater detail than a 2-D analog film.Whole-Breast Ultrasound
This is designed as an additional screening tool alongside mammograms for women with dense breast tissue. The goal of whole-breast ultrasound is to find small, invasive cancers of less than a centimeter in size.Renown Health's Certified Breast Center
As a certified breast center, Renown offers support services for women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. This includes treatment and a certified cancer nurse navigator. Nurse navigators help with additional referrals, assist with understanding of the physician’s plan of care and address barriers to treatment, such as support for missed work or transportation concerns.Breast Cancer Stages
