Breast Cancer Awareness
Posted on April 27, 2023
About 1 in 8 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. Treatments work best when breast cancer is caught early. That’s why it’s important to get screened regularly for the disease if you’re 45 or older. It’s equally as important to know the signs and symptoms of breast cancer.
Signs and symptoms: Any changes to the look or feel of your breasts shouldn’t be ignored. It’s always best to let your primary care provider know if you’re having any of the following possible signs or symptoms of breast cancer:
- A lump or thickening in or near a breast or in the underarm area.
- A change in the size or shape of a breast, or a dimple or puckering in the skin of a breast.
- Fluid, other than breast milk, leaking from a nipple, especially if the fluid is bloody or leaks from only one breast.
- Skin irritation or changes anywhere on a breast, nipple or areola.
- Pain in a breast, especially if the pain doesn’t go away.
Learn more about breast cancer at www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast.
Breast cancer screening: Mammograms can help find breast cancer early. A mammogram is a lowdose x-ray exam of the breasts to look for changes that are not normal. A mammogram allows the physician to have a closer look for changes in breast tissue that cannot be felt during a breast exam.
Baystate Health offers online self-scheduling for mammograms for their patients at BaystateHealth.org/Mammo or call (413) 794-2222.
Talk to your doctor: If you have questions about your breast cancer risk, talk with your primary care provider or specialist about your screening options. Your Health New England Medicare Advantage plan covers breast cancer screening (mammograms) per the following schedule: one screening mammogram every 12 months for women age 40 and older; clinical breast exams once every 24 months; additional screenings when medically necessary.
Sources: American Cancer Society; American Society of Clinical Oncology; CDC; National Cancer Institute
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