Morgan County Citizen: Breast Cancer Awareness 2013

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C3 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2013

Fight Strong BREAST CANCER AWARENESS >>> Breast Self-Exams C4 • Examining Incidence Rates C4 & C5

HERE TO HELP

There is a one in eight chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer during her life. The chance of dying from breast cancer is about one in 36. Breast cancer death rates have been decreasing, probably the result of finding the cancer earlier and better treatment.

–American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org

By the Numbers The American Cancer Society’s estimates for breast cancer in women in the United States for 2013 are: About 232,340 new cases of invasive breast cancer About 64,640 new cases of carcinoma in situ (CIS) of the breast will be found (CIS is non-invasive and is the earliest form of breast cancer) About 39,620 deaths from breast cancer Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, other than skin cancer. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer.

–American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org

Did you know?

The American Cancer Society has a program set up to e-mail you and remind you to get your mammogram? www.cancer.org

1,000-PLUS IN 2013 Utilizing alldigital technology, staff members at Morgan Memorial Hospital will conduct more than 1,000 mammograms in 2013. Pictured are Kaye Utley and Kim Sitzmann, mammography technologists, and Priscilla Jones, scheduler. (Michelle Gilreath, mammography technologist, is not pictured.) PHOTO COURTESY OF MORGAN MEMORIAL More on Page C4.

Hold on to Hope There are 2.8 million-plus breast cancer survivors in the United States.

Mammography rates are holding steady, with screening rates growing from 29 percent of U.S. women 40 and older in 1987 to 70 percent in 2000 and 67 percent from 2005-2010.

–American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org << Each ribbon is representative of 100,000 survivors.

–Statistic from the American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org.

MORGAN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL IS PARTNERING WITH MADISON’S CHICK-FIL-A FOR A BREAST CANCER AWARENESS WEEK Monday, Oct. 21 through Friday, Oct. 25 10 percent of all Ice Dream and milkshake sales will be donated to Morgan Memorial Hospital’s mammography fund Monday, Oct. 21 Wear a pink ribbon or breast cancer pin and get a free chocolate chunk cookie with the purchase of any meal* Friday, Oct. 25 Wear pink and donate $1 (cash only, please) to Morgan Memorial’s mammography fund and get a free Chick-fil-A Chicken Biscuit during breakfast or an Original Chicken Sandwich during lunch and dinner* * Limit one per person, per visit. Not combined with any other offer. Valid day(s) of promotion only. Closed on Sundays.

C4 & C5 Fight Strong: Breast Cancer Awareness

www.MORGANCOUNTYCITIZEN.com OCTOBER 17, 2013

Incidence rates converging among white, African-American women

Mammography services available at Morgan Memorial

Special to the Citizen

Contributed by Morgan Memorial Hospital

As Morgan County citizens don pink this month in honor of individuals who have faced a breast cancer diagnosis, local women can find comfort in knowing that screenings to aid in early detection are available locally at Morgan Memorial Hospital (MMH).

With digital equipment that utililizes computeraided detection, Kaye Utley, Kim Sitzmann, and Michelle Gilreath perform approximately 1,000 mammograms at Morgan Memorial each year. The group has more than 52 years of combined experience. All three are registered with the American College of Radiology. MMH also offers breast ultrasound when further evaluation measures are needed.

“Our employees take pride in the services ABOUT MAMMOGRAMS we are able to offer Want to have your mamwomen locally and the mograms done locally, patient-focused manat Morgan Memorial ner in which they are Hospital? delivered,” said Ralph Once you have a physiCastillo, CEO. “We cian’s order (it doesn’t are also very fortunate have to be a Madison to have a hospital auphysician, either), call thority and commu706-752-2207, Monday nity donor base that through Friday to schedrecognizes the imporule an appointment. Aptance of investing in pointments can usually quality medical equipbe made within a week ment in order to proand wait time is minivide for the healthcare mal. needs of our local citiThe “screening” mamzens.” mography process Early detection is takes about 30 minkey for improving the utes. These are offered odds of beating a Monday through Friday breast cancer diagnoand are typically read sis. Combined with by a radiologist the improved treatment same day. methods and in“Diagnostic” mammocreased awareness, grams, used to check early detection has refor breast cancer after sulted in a continuous a lump or other sign or nationwide decrease in symptom is found, are death rates from done on Tuesdays only. breast cancer since These take longer beabout 1990. Even still, cause the patient waits breast cancer remains while the radiologist the second leading reads the mammogram cause of cancer death to ensure all necessary in women, exceeded views are obtained. only by lung cancer.

Recognizing the anxiety that many women have regarding getting their annual mammogram, MMH strives to make the experience as pleasant as possible. “We don’t want the experience to be something that women dread,” said Utley, manager of the MMH Radiology Department. “The calming nature of the mammography room décor, quick scheduling process, detailed explanations we provide, and rapid procedure time made possible by digital technology are just a few of the areas that patients have complimented us on in the recent past.”

Patients desiring to have their mammogram done at MMH must have a physician’s order and should call 706-752-2207 Monday through Friday to schedule an appointment. Orders are accepted from any physician, not just those located in Madison. Appointments can usually be scheduled within a week and wait time is minimal.

With the current digital technology offered at MMH, the entire screening mammography process typically only takes about 30 minutes. “We have several patients who choose to come in on their lunch break because the process is so quick,” said Utley.

Routine “screening” mammograms are used to check for breast cancer in women who have shown no signs or symptoms of the disease. MMH offers these daily, Monday through Friday, and they are read by a radiologist that same day unless the staff is waiting on patient films from another facility.

“To aid in detecting changes in breast tissue, part of the mammogram reading process includes comparing the current film to any films that have been taken in the past,” said Utley. “When a patient’s previous mammograms have been done elsewhere, we will work with the patient and facilities that took the previous images to ensure that we have as much information for comparison as possible.”

“Diagnostic” mammograms are used to check for breast cancer after a lump or other sign or symptom of the disease has been found. They can also be used to evaluate changes revealed during a screening mammogram or to view breast tissue when special circumstances make it difficult to obtain a precise image.

MMH conducts diagnostic mammograms on Tuesdays only. They can take a longer period of time because the patient waits while the radiologist reads the mammogram to ensure that all necessary views have been obtained.

The American Cancer Society recommends a clinical breast exam by a physician or nurse at least every three years for women in their 20s and 30s and every year for women in the 40s. In addition, beginning at age 40, women should have a mammogram done annually for life. Women with a family history of breast cancer are encouraged to begin annual mammograms when they are 10 years younger than the earliest age at which a family member was diagnosed.

Perform monthly breast self-exams Step 1: First, you should look at your breasts in breast’s tissue with overlappimg, dime-sized cirthe mirror, with your shoulders straight and your cular motions. Use light pressure to feel the tisarms on your hips. Are your breasts their normal sue closest to the skin, medium pressure to feel size, shape and color? Is there any visia little deeper, and firm pressure to feel Adult ble distortion or swelling? Next, the tissue closest to the chest wall. It women of all ages raise your arms and look for the is normal to feel a firm ridge in are encouraged to perform same changes. Look for any the lower curve of each breast. breast self-exams at least once signs of fluid coming from one Step 4: Feel around the a month. While mammograms can or both nipples (this could be breast in an up-and-down help you to detect cancer before you watery, milky, yellow fluid or pattern, starting down the can feel a lump, breast self-exams blood). side of your underarm and help you to be familiar with how moving across the breast to Step 2: Lying down spreads your breasts look and feel so you the middle of the sternum. Rethe breast tissue thin and can alert your healthcare promember to feel using a light, evenly over the chest wall, fessional if there are any medium and firm touch. The upmaking it much easier to feel changes. and-down pattern helps you avoid breast tissue. Put your arm behind missing any areas when you are examyour head. ining your breast. Repeat with your right hand to Step 3: Use the finger pads of the three middle examine your left breast. fingers on your left hand to feel your right

WE’RE BEGINNING TO WIN THE FIGHT. More than 200,000 American women are diagnosed with breast cancer annually, according to the American Cancer Society, but mammography rates are holding steady at about 70 percent of U.S. women over 40 being screened each year. Still, 29 percent of insured women and 68 percent of uninsured women, and 25 percent of college grads and 48 percent of women with less than 12 years of education are not getting mammograms.

–Infographic and information from the American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org

ATLANTA – Breast cancer incidence rates increased slightly among African American women from 2006 to 2010, bringing those rates closer to the historically higher rates among white women, according to a new analysis by American Cancer Society researchers. The explanation behind the rise is unclear.

The finding is pub“Continued lished in progress in the “Breast Cancontrol of breast cer Statistics, cancer will 2013” pubrequire sustained lished in CA: and increased A Cancer Journal for efforts to provide Clinicians, a high-quality peer-rescreening, viewed jourdiagnosis, and nal of the treatment to all American segments of the Cancer Society. The repopulation.” port and its consumer version, “Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2013-2014,” are published biennially and provide detailed analyses of

breast cancer incidence, mortality, and survival trends, as well as information on early detection, treatment, and factors that influence risk and survival.

An estimated 232,340 new cases of invasive breast cancer and 39,620 breast cancer deaths are expected to occur among U.S. women in 2013. About eight in 10 breast cases and nearly nine in 10 breast cancer deaths will occur among women aged 50 years and older.

Incidence rates In the latest time period (2006-2010), incidence rates increased for estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancers in the youngest white women, Hispanic women in their 60s, and all but the oldest African American women. In contrast, estrogen receptor-negative (ER-) breast cancers declined among most age and racial/ethnic groups. In every age group, white women have the highest rates of ER+ breast cancer and African American women have the highest rates of ERbreast cancer. These differences may reflect racial variations in the prevalence of risk factors that differ by ER status. For example, reproductive history and obesity appear to be more strongly associated with ER+ breast cancer, whereas lower

socioeconomic status is associated with an increased risk of ER- breast cancer.

Historically, white women have had the highest breast cancer incidence rates among women aged 40 years and older.

However, incidence rates are now converging among white and African American women, particularly among women aged 50 years to 59 years.

While the oft-quoted statistic is true that a woman living in the United States has a one-in-eight lifetime risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer compared to a one-in-11 risk in the 1970s, some of that increase is due to increased detection as a result of widespread mammography screening and because women now have a longer life expectancy. Lifetime risk reflects the average probability of being diagnosed with breast cancer from birth to death.

Mortality rates Breast cancer death rates have dropped by 34 percent since 1990 in all racial/ethnic groups except American Indians/Alaska Natives. Nevertheless, survival disparities persist by race/ethnicity, with African American women having the poorest breast cancer survival of any racial/ethnic group.

Screening In 2010, two in three (67 percent) of U.S. women 40 and older reported having a mammogram within the past two years. The mammography screening rate peaked in 2000, declined slightly, and has been stable since 2005. The report also finds that in general, those states with higher rates of mammography screening had fewer late stage breast cancers diagnosed among non-Hispanic white women. Despite similar overall screening rates, African American women have remained more likely to be diagnosed with regional and distant stage breast cancers compared with white women, which the authors say may reflect differences in the quality of mammography screening and delayed follow-up for abnormal mammography findings.

The researchers conclude the report by saying: "Continued progress in the control of breast cancer will require sustained and increased efforts to provide high-quality screening, diagnosis, and treatment to all segments of the population."

–From the American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org