Mary Mowen, Radiology Director at OSF Healthcare, stopped in to inform people about breast cancer awareness. October is breast cancer awareness month, but Mowen says you should be mindful all year round.
“We really try to bring it in front of the public and women, especially this time of the year. But it is something that really should be given attention during the entire year. You shouldn’t just think about your breast health during the month of October,” Mowen said.
1 in 8 women are likely to develop invasive breast cancer during their lifetime. In 2017, over 250,000 people will be diagnosed with new cases of breast cancer. However, better treatment and earlier detection have helped reduce the death rate from breast cancer by 38 percent since 1989. Mowen talked about the age range that should be the most cautious.
“Women aged 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year,” she said. “The reason for that is that this is the stage that breast cancer tends to be the most aggressive, so that screening every year will catch small changes in between.”
She also endorsed the 3-D technology that OSF is now using for mammograms. Detection rates are higher than ever with this new technology. To set up an appointment, call OSF at 734-1446. For those who are overly busy during the week, they do offer “walk-in wednesdays,” where you can walk in from 1-4 p.m. without an appointment.
written by Jackson Kane
