An Ounce of Prevention

Tiffany Reed

Information about breast cancer screening can be confusing and misleading. Conflicting guidelines and selective use of data may cause uncertainty about how early or how often to screen and which screening methods are most effective.

Breast cancer remains the third leading cause of cancer deaths in Colorado, killing more than 500 women annually. At the same time, there are more than 42,000 breast cancer survivors in Colorado. Like many cancers, the likelihood of surviving breast cancer increases dramatically with early detection and treatment. Simply put, screening saves lives!

However, all screening methods have both benefits and limitations which women should be aware of before deciding which screening method is right for them. Screening guidelines are carefully developed and regularly re-evaluated after extensive review of currently available research and evidence. Guidelines are established based on which methods have the potential to provide the most benefit, while incurring the least amount of harm to the greatest number of people possible.

The American Cancer Society breast cancer screening recommendations for average risk women include:

Optional Self Breast Exam (BSE) for all women beginning at age 20. Women who choose to perform BSE should review their technique with a trained medical provider and inform their provider immediately if they notice any changes.

Clinical Breast Exam (CBE) every three years for women ages 20 – 39. This appointment also offers an important opportunity to review personal health history, including factors that may increase risk for breast cancer.

Clinical Breast Exam and Mammogram (either standard or digital) every year for women aged 40 and older. Modern mammography equipment is designed to utilize the lowest dose of radiation possible. “To put it into perspective, if a woman with breast cancer is treated with radiation she will receive around 5,000 rads (a measure of radiation dose). If she had yearly mammograms beginning at age 40 and continuing until she was 90, she will have received 20 to 40 rads.” (Per the American Cancer Society.)

Screening recommendations for high risk women (women whose risk for developing breast cancer is 20 – 25 percent higher than average based on comprehensive risk assessment) include a mammogram and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) every year beginning at or around age 30. Age of initial screening may vary depending on individual health history and
personal preference.

Thermography, often touted as a preferable option for detecting breast cancer without radiation, is not approved by the FDA as a tool for primary screening, nor is it recognized as a reliable screening tool by American Cancer Society, American Society of Clinical Oncology, or the American College of Surgeons.

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, all health insurances are now required to cover recommended cancer screenings at no cost to the patient. For those uninsured, or underinsured, the Women’s Wellness Connection program provides FREE breast and cervical cancer screenings and diagnostics to women who qualify. l

Visit WomensWellnessConnection.org for more information.