Sheldon, Iowa — A spokesperson for the American Cancer Society a while back said that the goal of October — Breast Cancer Awareness Month is, “Decreasing the number of women who die from breast cancer by increasing the number who are scanned by mammograms.”
We talked to Sanford Sheldon Physician, Dr. Ryan Becker recently about breast cancer. He says it’s an important topic.
Becker says mammograms are available right on-site at Sanford Sheldon. You don’t need to go out-of-town, and you don’t have to wait for a mammogram truck to come in.
He says the first test is the most sensitive test, which is good, but that means sometimes it detects things that are of little or no concern as well as spots that are of concern. He says that’s why sometimes they have you come back for a diagnostic mammogram or other tests.
Dr. Becker says that there are several recommendations for when to start mammograms and how often to get them. He says at Sanford Sheldon they recommend annual mammograms starting at age 40. But the highest risk is between 55 and 65 years of age.
Becker says they also recommend breast self-awareness. He says if you notice something unusual, don’t worry too much about it as many times it is of little or no concern. However, you should set up an appointment to have it checked out.
Dr. Becker says you don’t need to set up a visit with a physician first to be referred for a mammogram. He says you can self-schedule them by contacting Sanford Sheldon.
