Think About Your Breast Health & Get Checked This Month!

October is the national Breast Cancer Awareness month, and for you ladies living in the Carson, Reno and Tahoe areas, Carson Tahoe Health is offering discounted digital mammography for uninsured and underinsured cash pay patients throughout the month of October. Discount prices range from $75-$100, with prices varying based on location.

Preventative breast health is one of the most proactive measures women can take when it comes to their health. Carson Tahoe Health understands that in today’s busy world, women have the tendency to put themselves last when it comes to their own health. This month, it is our goal to help empower women to take charge of their health by being aware of the risk factors that can lead to breast cancer, and encourage regular breast cancer screenings. The most important thing to remember is that EARLY detection can lead to the SUCCESSFUL treatment of breast cancer. The top 3 steps for detecting breast cancer early on are:

1. Perform regular self-exams
2. Get an annual mammogram
3. Don’t forget your annual clinical breast exam

Digital mammography is the best screening tool used to detect breast cancer because it can discover the disease in its early stages, before it can be felt in a regular breast examination.

As many of you might have heard, breast density is a popular topic right now, especially with the new Dense Breast Legislation in Nevada. Under this new legislation, if a patient undergoes a mammogram and it is determined that the patient has extremely dense breasts, the patient must 1) be notified in writing that they have dense breast tissue, and 2) be informed that they may benefit from supplemental screening tests. Prior to this legislation, most women didn’t even know they had dense breasts.

Around 40% of women have dense breast tissue, which can often cause small cancers to be hidden in a mammogram, leaving them undetected. On top of that, women with dense breasts are at greater risk for breast cancer than having two first-degree relatives with breast cancer.  Fortunately for women who do have dense breast tissue, Carson Tahoe Health offers the supplemental sonographic screenings using the latest technology. These two screenings combined can provide early detection for cancers that may have gone undetected though a traditional mammogram. While the supplemental test is not covered by insurance,  it’s well worth it if you have dense breast tissue.

Some risk factors for breast cancer from the CDC:

• Being younger when you first had your menstrual period
• Starting menopause at a later age
• Being older at the birth of your first child
• Never giving birth
• Not breastfeeding
• Long-term use of hormone-replacement therapy

Other risk factors:

• Getting Older
• Personal history of breast cancer or some non-cancerous breast diseases
• Family history of breast cancer (mother, father, sister, brother, daughter, or son)
• Treatment with radiation therapy to the breast/chest
• Dense breasts
• Being overweight (increases risk for breast cancer after menopause)
• Having changes in the breast cancer related genes BRCA1 or BRCA2
• Drinking alcohol (more than one drink a day)
• Not getting regular exercise

Having a risk factor does not mean you will get the disease, it simply means you should talk with your doctor about ways you can lower your risk and about screening for breast cancer. To learn more call (775) 445-5500 to schedule your mammogram.