GET SCREENED! BOOST YOUR CHANCES OF LIVING A LONG, HEALTHY LIFE BY HAVING THESE TESTS.
W
e’ve all heard the expression “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” When it comes to your health, this couldn’t be more accurate. Although many people have put off screenings due to COVID-19, it’s time to resume them. At Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus (MMCSC), healthcare providers are taking the appropriate precautions to provide safe and high-quality care. Here, the screenings you should schedule now:
1
MAMMOGRAM
WHAT IT IS: A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast. MMCSC offers threedimensional mammograms, which produce many thinly sliced images of the breast,
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improving cancer detection. If a woman having this type of screening needs a biopsy, she can have one guided by threedimensional mammography imaging. WHY YOU NEED IT: A mammogram allows for early detection of breast cancer. The test reduces the risk of dying from the disease by about 20 percent, according to the American Cancer Society. WHEN TO GET IT: Women who are at average risk of developing breast cancer should have a mammogram annually starting at age 40. A woman at high risk may need to be screened earlier—and she may benefit from an ultrasound or an MRI. To schedule a mammogram, call 732.923.7700.
2
COLONOSCOPY
WHAT IT IS: A flexible, lighted tube is used to examine the entire colon and rectum. During the exam, which is performed while a patient is sedated, the physician can remove any abnormal growths, or polyps. The test requires a laxative preparation and is about 95 percent accurate. WHY YOU NEED IT: Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. for both men and women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Colonoscopy reduces the risk of death from colorectal cancer by about 60 percent, according to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Summer 2020
7/29/20 1:41 PM
