Breast cancer awareness month – The importance of early detection
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual campaign to raise awareness of breast cancer. As a company developing advanced medical imaging solutions for mammography, Planmed is dedicated to battling breast cancer every day of the year.
Through sophisticated technologies, Planmed is strongly committed to improving the early detection of breast cancer. Our solutions offer higher resolution imaging for radiologists while ensuring superior patient comfort and enhanced workflows for technicians. Additionally, Planmed’s mammography solutions are ideal for mobile clinic installations in locations where access to care would otherwise be limited or non-existent.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our partners for joining us in the fight against breast cancer. We also wish to encourage women all over the world to regularly attend mammograms and participate in screening mammography programs where available. Screening often helps to detect breast cancer early on when it is easier to treat – and with less-invasive therapies.
It is not unusual to be nervous about getting a mammogram but receiving more information about the procedure often helps to overcome the fear. We at Planmed want to do our part in patient education, and therefore we have compiled a short info package on what to expect when having a mammogram.
Regular breast self-examination is recommended
About one in eight women are diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime, making it the most common cancer type among women. Finding breast cancer early and getting high-quality cancer treatment are the fundamental strategies for preventing deaths from breast cancer.
Early detection includes doing monthly breast self-exams and scheduling regular clinical breast exams and mammograms. The best time for breast examination is after menstruation, when the breast tissue is soft, and changes are easier to detect. Not all changes or lumps are dangerous, but every lump that is found must be checked by a doctor.
Breast cancer screening
Mammography screening aims to find early breast cancer even before you can feel any lump in self-examination. Breast cancer treatment results are very good when the tumor is detected early enough, so it is important to attend screening regularly.
With the latest digital X-ray imaging technique, cancer can often be identified more sensitively, and at a lower radiation dose than before.
In the X-ray room
The mammographer will position you in front of the mammography device. She then carefully places one of the breasts on an imaging platform for compression. It may feel a little unpleasant, but it only takes a few seconds. Proper compression is very important for good imaging results.
The appropriate positioning of the breast is essential for ensuring that the mammography study will show all the tissue of the breast and the axilla as well. The radiographer will make sure that all the breast tissue is correctly shown in the image.
Specialized interpretation
The mammograms are always examined by specialist radiologists, and the results will be communicated to you. If changes are found, you will be invited to additional imaging. It is important to remember that most of the changes found in mammography are not cancers.
Follow the local guidelines
The recommendations on when to start regular mammograms vary from country to country. However, it is widely agreed that women who are over 40 years old should speak with their doctor or other health care provider about when to start and how often to get a mammogram. We encourage everyone to find out their local guidelines and to follow them.
Think pink and join us in the fight against breast cancer!