Getting your mammogram is an important part of health for women age 40 and older. Breast cancer, which affects about 13% of American women, is the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in U.S. women, according to BreastCancer.org. Mammograms are low-dose X-rays to check for changes in breast tissue that can...

The American Cancer Society recommends that women at average risk start mammograms at age 40.

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - The American Cancer Society estimated more than 310,000 women and nearly 3,000 men would be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2024. Monument Health hosted the inaugural “March for Mammos” to raise awareness to the disease and the importance of early detection on Saturday.

When it’s time for a woman’s annual mammogram, a diagnosis of breast cancer typically hovers as the prime concern. However, some radiology clinics now offer a heart disease risk assessment using the same mammogram. This additional service, though not without controversy, could potentially alert women to unforeseen risks for heart disease.

"I was with a patient when I got the call that I had breast cancer," said Kristin McCrosson, BSN, R.N., clinical nurse manager at HCA Florida Englewood Hospital Wound Care. In 2019, her life changed when she went to her annual screening mammogram. Many women have dense breast tissue, making screening more difficult. In Kris' case, she could not feel anything abnormal with a self-breast examination. Her provider ordered additional ultrasound and MRI screenings, revealing three breast lumps. She was diagnosed with left breast cancer, stage 2. At this stage, breast cancer has grown, but is still contained in the breast tissue or the growth has only extended to axillary lymph nodes. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime, and there are currently over four million breast cancer survivors in the United States. When breast cancer is detected early and is in the localized stage, the 5-year survival rate is 99%. Early detection includes doing monthly self-exams, regular clinical breast exams and mammograms. The Centers for Disease Control recommends women who are 40 to 74 years old and are at average risk for breast cancer get a mammogram every two years. Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Paul Chupka, D.O. encourages women to consider 3D mammography. "It represents the most advanced tool we have for screening mammography and we offer it at Englewood Hospital. Having a regular, yearly screening mammogram is the best way to be sure breast cancer is detected early. This allows you and the radiologist to have a clear picture of what your healthy breast tissue looks like, and changes in the tissue from year to year can be identified." Kristin was grateful for early detection, "According to my doctor, if I had waited two more months for my mammogram, I might not be sitting here today. I was more concerned about how to tell my husband that I had breast cancer than me actually having it." After 8 weeks of chemo and 16 radiation treatments, Kristin was cancer-free and is now fully recovered. She said, "My husband said, 'Why you?' and I said,' Why not me? ' Cancer does not discriminate. I kept a positive attitude and was always smiling. It helped that family and friends were positive. I just can't say enough about the support I had." Kristin recommends that women get screened on their birthdays each year. She said, "Give that as a birthday gift to yourself. You can't forget. I can't stress enough how important it is to get a mammogram. It will save your life." For more information about women’s care, please visit HCAFloridaHealthcare.com or follow our Facebook page, HCA Florida Englewood Hospital.

Jenny Kushnereit, BS, RT(R)(M)(BS) Nothing is certain in medicine, but mammography comes close. Regular mammograms have been proven to find breast cancer at its earliest stages when treatments are most effective. Many women, however, let their anxieties around mammograms keep them from taking advantage of these powerful, potentially lifesaving tests.

Breast cancer affects 1 in 8 women in the U.S. each year, making early detection crucial in improving the chances of successful treatment. Mammograms are noninvasive X-rays used to detect cancer and other abnormalities in the breast. They are the most effective screening tool for detecting breast cancer early, allowing for timely treatment before the disease can spread and helping to improve treatment outcomes.

This post is written and sponsored by AdventHealth. It’s generally recommended that every woman starts their breast cancer screening mammograms at age 40 and continues to get them yearly until at least age 75. But what are the reasons to start your mammograms earlier? Women at higher risk for breast cancer are encouraged to start getting mammograms closer to age 30.

Oct. 9—URBANA — Staff at Carle Health's Mills Breast Cancer Institute say that when it comes to breast cancer, misconceptions abound. For instance, a lot of people associate the condition with pain, said lead technician in radiology Jolene Duckett. "You don't always feel it, and it's not always painful," she said. Additionally, while family history can be a factor, most women who are diagnosed ...

22News spoke with Baystate Health doctors and has their message about breast cancer screening and what programs are offered Federally and on the State level to make this process more affordable.