T.J. Samson | Destination Health | October 2018

WHEN WAS YOUR LAST MAMMOGRAM? If you can’t remember, you might want to give your doc- tor’s office a call. Most women age 45 to 54 should get a mam- mogram every year. Even women 40 to 44 might want to schedule their first screening. “Mammography is still the test of choice to detect early breast cancer,” says Yashpal Modi, MD, an oncologist and hematolo- gist at T.J. Samson. “It’s been used for decades and remains the standard of care.” WHAT TO EXPECT A mammogram is a special x-ray that looks for signs of breast cancer. When you come to T.J. Samson for your mammogram, you’ll be taken into a private room by a registered mam- mography technologist. “You’ll be asked to stand in front of an x-ray machine,” says Melissa Williams, RT(R)(M), Mammography Supervisor. “The technologist will place your breasts between two supports. These supports will be pressed together, gently flattening the breast.” The machine will take x-rays of both of your breasts from different angles, says Williams. When the screening is complete, you’ll be asked to wait until the radiologist can be sure the images are clear. According to Williams, the entire exami- nation process should only take about a half hour. PREPARE FOR A SUCCESSFUL MAMMOGRAM There are several things you can do to make sure your mammogram is as accurate as possible: ●  ● Schedule your mammogram for about a week after your period, suggests Williams. That’s when your breasts are likely to be less sensitive to the compression. ●  ● If possible, bring copies of your previous mammograms and breast health history. Or you can arrange to have this sent to T.J. Samson be- fore your exam. This allows comparison between older images and the new ones. ●  ● Don’t wear deodorant, talcum powder or lo- tion on your upper body the day of your exam. These products can interfere with the quality of the images. ●  ● Dress in separates. That way you’ll only need to remove your top and bra for the mammogram. WHY MAMMOGRAMS MATTER “Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women,” says Williams. “Getting screened early and regularly could literally save your life.” Mammograms can detect masses in your breasts before they’re large enough to be felt, she says. Many lumps aren’t cancerous, but if the mammogram finds a mass that turns out to be cancer, you’ll have caught it early—when treat- ment is most likely to be effective. “If you can get breast cancer diagnosed early, the treatment is much less invasive and has a cure rate of almost 95 percent,” says Dr. Modi. If you’re diagnosed later, the cure rate can drop as low as 50 percent. “So if you get regular mammograms and are diagnosed early, you’ll get the higher cure rate with the least amount of treatment,” he says. Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Platteville, WI Permit No. 7 T.J. Samson Community Hospital 1301 N. Race St. Glasgow, KY 42141 OCTOBER 2018 Yashpal Modi, MD, Oncologist and Hematologist To make an appointment for a screening mammogram at T.J. Samson, please call 270-651-1814 . Still the best way to detect breast cancer early Mammograms