October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
ACMC offers free gift to first 500 who schedule a mammogram
According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 290,000 new cases of breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in 2022. Sadly, there will be approximately 43,000 breast cancer deaths this year.
It is widely known in the medical community that early detection of breast cancer – which leads to early treatment – can save lives. An annual mammogram after age 40 (or younger based on family history and provider recommendation) can reduce the risk of dying from breast cancer.
“A screening mammogram can reduce the risk of breast cancer deaths by as much as 30 percent for women in their 40s to 50s,” said ACMC Oncologist Shinoj Pattali, MD. “Today’s technology lets us see the formation of breast cancer as it begins to grow – long before you would ever feel a lump or notice other symptoms.”
Mammograms are the gold-standard for identifying cancerous breast tissue because they detect the slightest changes in breast tissue. A screening mammogram uses X-rays to detect a potential tumor or lump in the breast and produces detailed images to show the slightest change in breast tissue. Images can be compared year-to-year to see if potential cancerous tissue or calcium deposits are forming.
If a mammogram reveals potential tissue growth, your provider may request further testing. A diagnostic mammogram takes additional views of the breast. An even more detailed image is created by using 3D mammography, which takes numerous images of the breast from various angles. A computer assembles all the images to provide a 3D picture. ACMC offers screening, diagnostic, and 3D mammograms, and provides a full spectrum of women's diagnostic services including ultrasound and bone density.
If a mammogram identifies a potential cancerous growth, an ACMC surgeon will perform a minimally invasive breast biopsy to remove a small sample of tissue for review by the pathologist at the hospital.
There are many treatment options available at ACMC if cancer is detected. Additional surgery may be performed, or a patient may be referred for chemotherapy and/or radiation. Chemotherapy is administered in the ACMC Cancer & Infusion Center on the hospital campus.
In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness month, and to encourage women to get this important screening, ACMC is offering a free gift to the first 500 women who complete the screening. A provider order is required to schedule a mammogram. To schedule a mammogram at ACMC, call 440-997-6590. ACMC offers mammograms Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with hours extended to 6 p.m. on Thursday.