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The Privacy Notice requires Adobe Acrobat Reader
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 Vickie Worthen and Denise Coleman |
Vickie Worthen and Denise Coleman, Employees at Washington County Memorial Hospital are pictured here working on flower gardens this summer at WCMH. Vickie and Denise volunteered their time and talent to bettering the appearance surrounding the hospital. Other contributors for this project included the WCMH Auxiliary, and Maintenance Department.
OCTOBER
NATIONAL BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
Mammograms
Over the last several years, professional medical organizations and government agencies have given conflicting recommendations on the benefits of mammograms for women aged 40 to 49. This has caused contention within the medical community and confusion for the general public.
Recently, the American Medical Association (AMA), along with a growing number of medical organizations, recommended that women undergo mammograms annually starting at age 40*. Previously, the AMA had recommended annual mammograms for women starting at age 50 and every one or two years for women aged 40 to 49. The American Cancer Society, The American College of Radiology and leading breast cancer advocacy organizations have already been recommending the more aggressive mammogram guidelines for several years.
Mammograms Are the Best Available Screening Tool
A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast tissue, which is then read to determine if any tissue looks suspicious. If abnormalities are detected, your doctor will schedule an appointment for an in-depth examination. Early detection of breast cancer is important, since there is a much better chance of containing and eradication the diseased tissue.There is no doubt among the medical community that a mammography screening is the best way to detect breast cancer before it spreads. The debate about whether women in their 40s should have mammograms is ultimately about statistics – the likelihood of cancer among different age groups and the ability of mammograms to detect cancer in younger women, due to the increased density of their breast tissue.
Breast cancer rates start rising for women once they reach their 40s. And those who do get cancer at younger ages tend to develop the much more aggressive, rapidly spreading types of the disease. In most of these cases, there is no family history of the disease. Advocates of beginning mammography at age 40 say that more frequent screenings will likely increase the possibility of catching such tumors before they have advanced too far beyond the early, more treatable stages.
Can You Afford Not To?
Most managed care plans cover and aggressively promote annual mammograms for women starting at age 50 and generally cover mammograms every two years for women in their 40s – more frequently of their doctor recommends it. If you have any questions or concerns about mammograms or the guidelines, set up an appointment with your personal physician. **
*Source: The Wall Street Journal, June 25, 1999.
**Source: Today’s Healthy Outlook, October 2000.
If you have any questions about Mammography please contact our Radiology Department at (573) 438-5451 Extension 204.