Since 1 in 8 women is likely to be directly affected by breast cancer in their lifetime, we want to use Breast Cancer Awareness Month to reinforce our commitment to protecting women’s health. Studies indicate that cancer caught in the early stages have much more successful outcomes than those discovered at later stages. Early cancer detection the primary reason that ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) recommends that women, of average risk, begin mammogram screenings at age 40. Women with a family history of breast cancer are advised to start screening mammography earlier.
Many women do not as regularly see their primary care physicians, which means that we, as gynecologists, are often the first-line physicians in the discovery of breast cancer due to the regularity of the annual GYN exam.
To improve the ability of women to efficiently complete their screening mammograms and not skip them due to the inconvenience of making separate appointments at a different facility, we have added an in-office mammography suite. This allows our patients to get a complete assessment of their GYN health in one visit. Our mammograms are read by Radiologists with special training in Breast Imaging. Should a patient require a diagnostic mammogram they will be referred to a radiology practice with the expertise and equipment to do those advanced studies.
Screening mammograms save lives, and we continually strive to protect the health of our patients and to make it as uncomplicated as possible for them to proactively maintain an annual schedule of their GYN health screenings. If you are 40 and over, please request a mammogram appointment when you schedule your annual exam.