Early detection and scheduling yearly preventative screenings are vital when it comes to setting up a treatment plan following a cancer diagnosis with your healthcare provider. OSF HealthCare St. Mary and Holy Family Medical Centers Director of Diagnostic Imaging Mary Mowen explains new screening guidelines from the American Cancer Society regarding mammograms:
“Screening guidelines are really important to follow. Women over the age of 40, they should have the choice to start annual breast cancer screening with a mammogram if they wish to do so. Women aged 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year. Women 55 and older can switch to mammograms every two years or they can continue yearly screenings. It really depends on the type of breast tissue you have, again that breast density coming into play, and also your other risk factors, family history, and those sorts of things. Really we say that all women should be aware. All women should just be aware of what their tissue is like, they should be aware of their risk factors, they should be aware of limitations on mammography, it is not 100% perfect. If you feel a lump and you just had your mammogram, be sure and get it checked out because it could be something we didn’t see on the mammogram.”
Following screening guidelines on scheduling mammograms has shown a 20% reduction in breast cancer deaths.
