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Health & Fitness

New Study Supports Need for Early Mammography Screenings

A new study backs what experts at Palos Community Hospital have always said about mammograms – regular screenings starting at age 40 remain a woman’s best defense against breast cancer.

New research findings at Harvard Medical School support the importance of regular mammograms, especially for younger women.

The study, published online Sept. 9 in the journal Cancer, shows a significant death rate in women younger than 50 who opt not to have regular mammograms. Experts say younger women tend to have more aggressive, faster-growing tumors.

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Researchers looked at more than 600 breast cancer deaths, studying details including mammogram records. The findings show 71 percent of the deaths were among women who had never had a mammogram or it had been more than two years since their last screening. The study found half the deaths were women younger than 50, while only 13 percent were 70 or older.

“Multiple studies have shown mammography increases survival rates,” says Erwin Thimm, M.D., fellowship-trained in mammography at Harvard and lead mammography radiologist at Palos Community Hospital. “And it’s not just getting a mammogram but getting one every year that’s important. Studies clearly show annual screenings, starting at age 40, save lives.”

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The age to begin having regular mammogram screenings has been a controversial topic since 2009 when the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force said women younger than 50 should talk to their doctors about whether or not to have a mammogram based on benefits and harms, including over-treatment and the anxiety of false-positive results. The panel recommended women 50 to 74 years old have a breast cancer screening every two years.

The American Cancer Society has continued to recommend annual screening beginning at age 40 for women at average risk. More than 40,000 women die of breast cancer in the United States each year.

When you consider the fact that the radiation risk is actually less than what you would encounter during a trans-Atlantic flight, making the decision to get an annual mammogram just makes sense. Yes, there is anxiety associated with the screening process, as there is with any health screening, but there’s no comparison when you consider the physical and emotional toll of a breast cancer diagnosis.

Palos Community Hospital Breast Surgeon Kanesha Bryant, M.D., urges the importance of early detection in the fight against breast cancer.

“Early diagnosis means less invasive treatments, better total outcomes and an overall better quality of life,” says Dr. Bryant, who received her fellowship training at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

Palos offers all digital mammography for screening and diagnostic procedures, including new 3D mammograms called tomosynthesis. The benefit of digital mammography is that, unlike previous technology, the images are recorded and saved on a computer network rather than on X-ray film. The digital images allow radiologists reading the images to adjust and/or enlarge them.

Dr. Thimm says the best thing people can do is to be proactive about their health.

 “There’s so much conflicting information. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and educate yourself. And then practice the three pillars of breast health: perform monthly self-exams, see your doctor yearly and get your annual mammogram,” he says. “There’s no way to prevent breast cancer, but if you do these things, you can improve your chances of survival if you do get it.”

Request an appointment

Mammogram appointments are available in two convenient locations, the hospital and the new Breast Care & Women’s Health Center located at 17333 S. LaGrange Rd., Tinley Park. To make your mammogram appointment, visit Palos Community Hospital’s website at http://bit.ly/mammo2013 for more information or call Central Scheduling at (708) 827-2030.

Breast Health at Palos

Palos Community Hospital's Breast Health Services Team provides a multidisciplinary, integrated and comprehensive approach to breast health, from diagnosis to treatment and recovery. Our complete continuum of care includes:

  • All Digital Mammography
  • Breast Ultrasound
  • Stereotactic and Ultrasound Guided Needle Biopsy
  • Excisional Breast Biopsy
  • Breast MRI and MRI Guided Needle Biopsy
  • Ultrasound Guided Cyst Aspirations
  • Surgical Treatment for Breast Cancer
  • Breast Reconstruction
  • Cancer Rehabilitation
  • Lymphedema Program and Support Group

All members of our Breast Health Services team are specially trained and work together to plan your treatment. In fact, Palos Community Hospital is still the only hospital in the area with two dedicated breast surgeons and two board-certified radiologists who are fellowship-trained in mammography.

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