Breast Cancer:
Mammograms Save Lives
A woman’s risk for breast cancer
increases with age. That’s why
experts recommend women in their
40s and older get a mammogram
every one to two years. However, researchers
have found that many women in their mid-
60s do not get mammograms as often as
they should.
Mammograms save lives by helping doctors find cancer in its earliest stages. Early detection is a powerful weapon in the battle against breast cancer. “The sooner treatment begins, the better the chances for survival,” said Andrew Laurel, M.D., a radiologist at Sts. Mary & Elizabeth Hospital.
The Digital Difference
Digital mammography has made early detection even more likely. It’s more effective than film mammography at finding breast cancer in women who were once very difficult to diagnose.The differences between film and digital mammography are similar to those between film and digital photography. Film mammography produces and stores an image of the breast on film. In digital mammography, a computer creates and stores that image. “This means radiologists can enhance, magnify or otherwise manipulate the image in order to make a more accurate diagnosis,” said Dr. Laurel.
If you are age 40 or older, ask your doctor about the benefits of mammography. It could save your life.
