Med Center Health discusses importance of mammograms during Breast Cancer Awareness Month

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Med Center is bringing awareness to the importance of mammograms, and how they could potentially save your life.

Breast cancer is caused when mutations happen to the DNA inside of breast tissue cells. Those cells then continue to replicate more cells with that mutation and form tumors.

Mammograms compress the breast to give a clear picture of that tissue, and determine if the patient has any risk areas within their tissue.

According to the Mayo Clinic, most cases happen to women aged 50 and older. Med Center recommends all women who are 40 years or old to begin scheduling mammograms.

“Generally 40 is the age women start screening mammograms. Now family history comes into play with that. Just extenuating circumstances, things going on. You can talk to your doctor, they can decide it can start earlier than that. But 40 is the general age to start screening mammograms,” said Holly Glenn, a Mammographer and CTMR technician with Med Center Health.

While a cancer diagnosis is a terrifying thought, great advances in technology and medicine have been made resulting in significant breakthroughs.

Research shows an increased survival rate for those who discover it early due to the mammograms ability to discover cancer before the patient can feel anything.

“So the five year survival rate of breast cancer is 99% when cancer is caught early. Mammograms detect it early before you can even feel anything going on. That’s why they are so important because we can see those small areas on the mammogram. The radiologists can see that, and work it up, and look into it, and that way you have a better chance at survival if we catch it early,” Glenn said.

Glenn recognizes that mammograms can be nerve racking and uncomfortable, but recommends all women 40 years and older to schedule annual checks and to talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.