FORT MADISON – October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Fort Madison Community Hospital would like to remind all women to take charge of their health and help win the fight against breast cancer.
The greatest weapons in the fight against breast cancer are prevention and early detection, which includes having an annual exam; getting the recommended screenings including a mammogram for women over forty; and adopting healthy habits when it comes to making smart food choices, taking time to exercise, managing stress and getting enough sleep.
The earliest sign of breast cancer is often an abnormality detected on a mammogram before it can be felt by the woman or a health care professional. In an effort to encourage more women to get a mammogram, FMCH is offering Saturday morning appointments October 14th, 21st and 28th. Women will have an opportunity to hang an ornament on the Breast Cancer Awareness tree, located in the Main Lobby, in honor or memory of a loved one.
According to the American College of Radiology, women age 40 and older should have a screening mammogram every year and should continue to do so for as long as they are in good health.
Current evidence supporting mammograms is even stronger than in the past. In particular, recent evidence has confirmed that mammograms offer substantial benefit for women in their 40s. Women can feel confident about the benefits associated with regular mammograms for finding cancer early. Mammograms for older women should be based on the individual, her health, and other serious illnesses. Age alone should not be the reason to stop having regular mammograms. As long as a woman is in good health and would be a candidate for treatment, she should continue to be screened with a mammogram.
Women in their 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam (CBE) as part of a periodic (regular) health exam by a health professional, at least every 3 years. After age 40, women should have a breast exam by a health professional every year.
With breast cancer being the leading new cancer in females in the state of Iowa, according to the 2017 Cancer in Iowa Report, all women need to take their breast health very seriously. An estimated 2,300 new cases of breast cancer will be detected in Iowa in 2017 with 370 deaths resulting from breast cancer, second only to lung cancer for women.
Fort Madison Community Hospital offers the latest in breast cancer screening advances, Genius™ 3D Mammography™ exams, developed by Hologic, Inc., a worldwide leader in Women’s Health. Utilizing advanced breast tomosynthesis technology, Genius exams are clinically proven to significantly increase the detection of breast cancers, while simultaneously decreasing the number of women asked to return for additional testing.
A Genius exam includes both 2D images and tomosynthesis scans. During the tomosynthesis-DIMENSIONAL portion of the exam, an X-ray arm sweeps in a slight arc over the breast, taking multiple images. A computer then converts the images into a stack of thin layers, allowing the radiologist to review the breast tissue one layer at a time. A Genius exam requires no additional compression and takes just a few seconds longer than a conventional 2D breast cancer screening exam.
“Fort Madison Community Hospital is leading the way in breast cancer detection by investing in the latest screening technology – 3D Mammography. As a Radiologist, this allows me to provide my patients with the highest quality of care that leads to better results, while reducing unnecessary stress that false positives or additional tests raise,” said Dr. Pil Kang, Radiologists, Davis Radiology.
The team of Radiology professionals at FMCH partner with the Doctors of Radiology from Davis Radiology to provide compassionate, competent care.