YOU KNOW WHAT GOES BEST WITH
A PINK RIBBON? A MAMMOGRAM. This is the time of year when we put an extra focus on the fight against breast cancer — which makes it a good time to schedule a mammogram with Mount Carmel. Our dedicated team of breast health specialists provides the highest level of skill in screening mammography, diagnosis, and when necessary, individualized treatment and therapy. Mount Carmel offers the most advanced screening options, including 3D mammography. And we were the first in Central Ohio to offer Automated Breast Ultrasound, or ABUS, which can enhance detection by up to 35%. Because at Mount Carmel, the highest level of breast cancer detection is the only level. We do it for the same reason we do everything at Mount Carmel. Because of you. Schedule your mammogram at mountcarmelhealth.com or by calling 614-234-2900.
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FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE Local experts explain why mammography’s benefits far outweigh any momentary discomfort. By Brooke Preston
OCTOBER 2017 COLUMBUS MONTHLY
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LET’S BE HONEST: No one likes getting mam-
THE PROCESS
mograms. In fact, many women skip them. Some statistics indicate that among women over 40 with health insurance, only 51 percent receive their annual mammogram. But according to local experts, mammograms get a bad rap. In truth, they’re utterly vital to early detection of and increased survival rates for breast cancer. After the introduction of a mammogram screening program in the U.S. in the 1980s, the breast cancer mortality rate plummeted nearly 40 percent as women began annual screenings. Studies have demonstrated that women who get annual mammograms cut their risk of dying from breast cancer in half, and very early detection reduces mortality rates further. Despite these strides, breast cancer remains the second-most-common cancer diagnosis in women (after lung cancer); 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed in her lifetime, according to the National Cancer Institute. In other words, while there’s still no known cure for breast cancer, thousands of deaths per year potentially could be prevented by raising participation numbers and frequency in early detection methods like mammograms.
Connie Oliver, vice president of marketing and communications at Solis Mammography (the nation’s largest independent provider of breast imaging services, with three Central Ohio locations), explains that whether a woman gets a 3-D or 2-D mammogram, the process is nearly identical. Individual X-rays are taken of each breast while compressed between two plates. Each compression lasts about 30 seconds and may involve slight discomfort; the entire procedure generally takes 10 minutes or less. She adds that women fearing a cold, clinical experience will be pleasantly surprised by facilities like Solis. “We’ve tailor-made the entire experience to be as easy as possible, so women won’t avoid getting the mammogram they need,” Oliver explains. “From online scheduling to warm office décor, we make the experience warm and welcoming, easy and efficient.” Dr. Amy L. Kerger of the Stephanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Center at Ohio State University’s Comprehensive Cancer Center agrees that facilities like hers help dissolve fears with a welcoming, helpful approach. “Ours is the first of its kind in the Midwest to offer the full continuum of breast
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cancer [prevention and] care in one facility,” she says. “We have wonderful technologists who are kind and compassionate experts. We offer genetic counseling on-site to patients concerned about their personal or family breast cancer history, and our high-risk clinic offers women tools and guidance to effectively manage increased risk. Our center has a soothing, spa-like atmosphere with private counseling suites, a resource center, free parking, wireless internet and more.” Oliver gives these simple tips for a stress-free mammogram appointment: When scheduling your mammogram at a new facility, ask in advance if you should transfer mammograms from a previous provider—the films are electronic, so transfers are generally easy. On appointment day, don’t wear deodorant or antiperspirant until after your mammogram, as they can appear on the X-ray as white spots. And while a menstrual cycle does not affect mammogram results, some women opt to schedule away from times they may be prone to breast tenderness.
FACTS VS. MYTHS Pervasive myths about mammograms keep many women away from what could be a
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There is no routine mammogram. When it comes to mammograms, routine just isn’t enough. That’s because routine applies only to what’s predictable, straightforward and logical. And breast cancer simply isn’t. At The James, our radiologists read only mammograms, all day, every day. They’re trained to detect the nuances that people who don’t read mammograms all day might miss. It’s that level of expertise that results in prevention, detection and peace of mind that are far beyond routine. Don’t get a routine mammogram. Get a James mammogram. To schedule yours, call 800-240-4477 or visit cancer.osu.edu/mammocm17.
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life-saving diagnosis—or at minimum, peace of mind. The reality often is far less sensational or restriction-filled than some might assume. For instance, contrary to popular belief, a woman is free to choose any provider, not only her doctor’s recommended facility. Currently, all women who meet certain age or risk criteria are entitled to no-out-of-pocketcost mammograms as part of the Affordable Care Act. (Ask your doctor if you qualify.) A woman 40 years and older who is not experiencing symptoms or concerns can get her annual, routine mammogram without a physician’s order. Conversely, symptomatic patients—those with symptoms like a lump, discharge or dimpling—need a physician’s referral for a diagnostic mammogram. At this procedure, the radiologist is in the room with the mammography technologist and explains the results with the patient in the same visit. “Many women avoid or delay mammograms due to the perception that it may be inconvenient, painful or even potentially ineffective,” says Dr. Erin Macrae of Columbus Oncology and Hematology Associates. “We do our best in the medical community to help educate patients on what to expect when they have a mammogram.” Central Ohio experts agree emphatically that mammography shouldn’t result in significant pain. “Eighty-nine percent of our patients report little to no discomfort, dispelling the common misconception that the procedure is painful,” Oliver explains. Kerger dispels another dangerously incorrect notion: “One myth I hear often is, ‘I can’t
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get breast cancer because it doesn’t run in my family.’ Only 10 to 15 percent of women who get breast cancer have a genetic link; 85 percent of the time, there is not a genetic link.”
WHO SHOULD GET MAMMOGRAMS? Some debate lingers regarding the exact age women should begin receiving routine mammograms, so Kerger, Macrae and Oliver all recommend talking to your doctor to create an individualized schedule based on your risk factors. Research by physician-led organizations like the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, the Society of Breast Imaging and the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists show that annual mammography starting at age 40 is strongly correlated with significant improvement in survival rates. “Annual mammography provides women with peace of mind,” Oliver says. “For the 1 in 8 who finds an issue which needs attention, early detection—especially for a woman in her 40s or younger—is critical to providing the best opportunity to avoid more invasive treatments.” Kerger agrees, citing several recent studies with findings that support beginning
annual mammograms at age 40. In her own practice, Kerger notes she is seeing more young women being diagnosed with invasive breast cancer than in years past. “If a patient under 40 has multiple risk factors or thinks she does, she should speak to her OB/GYN or primary care provider so they can effectively calculate her lifetime risk,” she explains. “If her risk is high, she may need additional screening with another modality or need to begin earlier screening.” Also of note: There is no upper ceiling age on annual mammogram screening recommendations.
OVERCOMING BARRIERS The dread of discomfort isn’t the only barrier holding many women back from yearly screening mammograms. Cost, access or even busy schedules also are common factors. Julie McMahon, director of mission and strategy for Komen Columbus, doesn’t have to look far for a personal example of the importance of overcoming these hurdles in the name of early detection through mammograms. “My mom was diagnosed [through] a mobile unit screening at work that she almost skipped for a meeting,” she says. “She had resources and no history but was a busy
working woman … who knows how long it would have been before she’d have had a screening.” Because her mother’s cancer was detected at Stage 0, her treatment was minimally disruptive to her life. McMahon notes that while mammograms improve outcomes, access to them is still an issue for many low-income and uninsured women. “Locally, we see a 41 percent higher mortality rate among black women, so we know more work has to be done,” she explains. “To reach our goal of reducing deaths by half in a decade, we need to make sure every screening is high-quality and that everyone who has abnormal screening results also has fast and affordable diagnostic follow-up and care, if diagnosed. We also know screening rates are low among those with Medicaid, and those with Medicaid sometimes have delays in care, so we are also focusing on that. The expansion of insurance coverage has helped us be able to focus beyond screening, on quality and all the other barriers.” McMahon notes that Komen Columbus offers several resources on its website, komencolumbus.org, to help educate women and break down these barriers to access.
October Is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Central Ohio Plastic Surgery, Inc.
Here when you’re ready for the next step
This month, and every month, we honor those facing, fighting and surviving breast cancer. You are wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts and grandmothers. You are inspiration. You are hope. You are courage. You are everyday heroes. And you are beautiful---with or without your breasts. We support the mission to increase awareness of breast cancer and encourage monthly self-exams. But 7 out of 10 women are unaware of something else: their reconstruction choices. So if and when you’re ready to take that next step, give us a call. We’re here to help.
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Jason B. Lichten, MD COLUMBUS | LANCASTER
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614.862.8008 | www.OhioPlastic.com OCTOBER 2017 COLUMBUS MONTHLY
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