Information About Mammograms

Have you had a mammogram? Screening mammography is the best method for early detection of breast cancer. Mammography has been shown to reduce deaths from breast cancer by 20%-39% among women aged 50 years or older.

Many women fear having tests to find or diagnose cancer anywhere in the body for a variety of reasons. It is important to consider the risks of not taking advantage of tests like mammograms. In New York State, a recent study has found that fewer women (15%-17%) who live in New York City received mammograms than did women in the upstate counties of New York.

If you are one of these women who has not had a mammogram in the past 12 months and you find excuses that make it easy to say no or to think that breast cancer happens only to other people, consider the following facts:

• Over 75% of breast cancers are found in women aged 50 or older.
• Having one first-degree relative with breast cancer approximately doubles a woman's risk.
• African-American women with breast cancer are more likely to die from the disease than white women.
• Breast cancer causes more deaths in Hispanic women than any other form of cancer.
• Mammography rates for women aged 65 and older are lower than for younger women.

Remember that a screening mammogram is a low dose x-ray picture of the breast used to find breast changes in women who have no signs or symptoms of breast cancer. A mammogram can find breast cancers that are too small to be felt in a breast exam by you or your doctor. Women over 50 should have a mammogram every year and see their doctor for both a pap smear and a breast exam.

A mammogram is a simple test for women. There may be some discomfort for a few seconds while the technician takes the x-ray. Compression of the breast is done to get a better picture. Each view of the x-ray takes less than a minute. It's important to remember that women in their 40s should get a mammogram every one to two years. A woman's chances of getting breast cancer is greater as she ages. Finding breast cancer early makes more treatment options available and increases survival rates. If you have Medicare and are aged 40 (Medicare disability) or older, Medicare pays for most of the cost of a screening mammography every 12 months. If needed, Medicare will pay for a diagnostic mammogram at anytime. If you have not done so this year, don't delay; call and schedule your mammogram today. You want to go to an FDA-Certified Mammography Facility.

Get more information about screening mammography by calling the numbers or visiting the Web sites listed below:

• American Cancer Society, 1-800-227-2345
• The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, 1-800-462-9273
• National Cancer Institute (NCI), 1-800-4-CANCER
• Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization, 1-800-221-2141 or www.Y-ME.org
• American College of Radiology, 1-800-227-5463
• CANCER CAN-DIAL Pre-recorded tapes, 1-800-462-1884, Cancer Maps, 1-800-458-1158
• Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Referral Services, 1-800-767-9355, General Information Switchboard, 1-800-685-6825
• www.cms.hhs.gov - for complete Medicare information
• Search for a mammography center - U.S.Food and Drug Administration