Fight Breast Cancer Through Early Detection

During this year alone, approximately 226,870 will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 39,510 women will die from the disease, according to the American Cancer Society. The organization estimates that the chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer at some point during her life is about 1 in 8; the lifetime risk for men is about 1 in 1,000.

The American Cancer Society believes that breast cancer death rates have been going down due to being able to detect the disease earlier and having better treatment available. To improve chances of survival, it’s important to detect breast cancer early. The goal of screening exams is to find cancers before they start to cause symptoms.　 The American Cancer Society says that most doctors feel that early detection tests for breast cancer save thousands of lives each year, and that many more lives could be saved if even more women and their healthcare providers take advantage of these tests. Screening for breast cancer improves the chances that breast cancer can be diagnosed at an early stage and treated successfully. The size of the cancer and how far it has spread are two of the most important factors in predicting the prognosis of a woman with this disease.

Here are some helpful tips to help you get screened, which can help you and your healthcare providers detect breast cancer in its early stages.

Get screened

. Yearly mammograms are recommended for all women starting at age 40 and continuing for as long as a woman is in good health, according to the American Cancer Society. Clinical breast exams are also recommended every three years for women in their 20s and 30s and every year for women 40 and over.

Prevention starts at home.

Women should know how their breasts normally look and feel and promptly report any breast changes to their health care provider. A breast self-exam is an option for women starting in their 20s. Check out this guide to learn how to do your own breast self-examination. Go to www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/types/self_exam/bse_steps

Locate a mammography provider.

There are many different options in choosing where to get a mammogram. Today, you can get mammograms in mobile units, freestanding centers and traditional hospital settings. Try to choose an accredited center based on the reputation of the radiologists and the quality of the facility’s equipment. You can contact the National Cancer Institute (1-800-4-CANCER) or the American College of Radiology (1-800-227-5463) to find a certified mammography provider. If you are a Health Advocate member and are still unsure of where to go, you can always call your Personal Health Advocate to find a location close to you where you can get a mammogram.

Affordable screening.　

If you’re worried about cost, talk to your doctor, a local hospital social worker, or staff members at a mammogram center. Ask about free programs in your area. You can also call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345 or the National Cancer Institute at 1-800-422-6237 to be directed to lower-cost mammogram centers in your area. Another option is the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (1-888-842-6355), which provides low-cost or free cancer screenings for women without health insurance.

Getting regular screening tests is important because it can help locate breast cancer earlier, when it’s at its most treatable. It can also allow your medical team to start treating you faster so that you can begin your recovery sooner. If you think you are due for a mammogram, speak with your doctor. You can also call your Personal Health Advocate for assistance; they can help you locate a local, in-network doctor or a mammography provider.

Should you get a mammogram?

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is an excellent time to discuss why having a mammogram is important for women. A mammogram is an X-ray picture of the breast that is used to check for breast cancer.

Studies have shown that mammograms reduce the number of deaths from breast cancer for women ages 40 to 74, especially for women over age 50. All women over the age of 40 who are at average risk should have a mammogram every year. High risk factors can include having a mother, sister, or daughter who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Having dense breast tissue, early menstruation or late menopause, and other factors could put you at a somewhat higher risk of breast cancer. Only your doctor can determine whether your risk of breast cancer is higher than average, so be sure to consult with your doctor. If you are under 40 and have a higher risk of breast cancer, talk to your doctor about whether having a mammogram earlier is right for you; your doctor may recommend that if you are at high risk, get a yearly mammogram starting at age 30. The CDC says that it is possible for a mammogram to detect breast cancer up to three years before it can actually be felt. If breast cancer is detected early, treatment can be started earlier in the disease.

Sometimes women don't get a mammogram because they don't think it's necessary, they think they don't have time in their busy schedule to get one, they don't know how much it costs or if it's covered by their insurance, they don't have a history of breast cancer in their family, or they're scared to get a mammogram done. If you’ve been avoiding having a mammogram done for any reason, talk to your doctor about your concerns. Mammograms save lives, so please don’t wait—talk to your doctor to find out if you should be screened.

If you have access to an advocacy service such as Health Advocate through your employer, you can call that service to verify that your insurance benefits cover mammograms. Under the Affordable Care Act, mammograms and other preventive screenings are covered with no cost sharing for new health plans. An advocate can also find a doctor for you, set up an appointment for you to get a mammogram, and more.

Want to learn more? Check out the links below for resources on mammograms and breast cancer:

• The Susan G. Komen website has a comprehensive guide to mammograms--including types of mammograms, where mammograms are performed, when to expect to have your results back, and more.
• Learn about mammograms at Cancer.gov. 
• The CDC's breast cancer page talks about possible symptoms of breast cancer, mammograms, and more. 
• The National Breast Cancer Awareness Month's site talks about what to expect when you go for your mammogram. 
• As always, if you have questions about mammograms and want to learn whether or not you should be getting screened, talk to your doctor.