Breast Cancer Awareness: What you need to know

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast Cancer starts when cells in the breast begin to grow out of control. The tumor is malignant (cancerous) if the cells can grow into (invade) surrounding tissues or spread (metastasize) to distant areas of the body. Breast cancer occurs mostly in women, but men can get it too.

Any breast lump or change needs to be checked by a health care provider and usually a mammogram to determine whether it is benign or cancer, and whether it might impact your future cancer risk.

What you need to know about getting a mammogram

A mammogram is an important step in taking care of yourself and your breasts. A mammogram is a low-dose X-ray that allows specialists to look for changes in breast tissue that aren’t normal.

The American Cancer Society recommends that starting at age 40 women at average risk should have the choice to begin yearly mammograms. All women, no matter their age, need to let their doctor know about any changes to their breasts.

Why is it important
to find breast cancer early?

The earlier breast cancer is found, the better the chances that treatment will work. Breast cancers that are found because they can be felt and tend to be larger and more likely to have already spread outside the breast. Screening exams can often find breast cancer when they are small and still confined to the breast. The size of a breast cancer and how far it has spread are some of the most important factors in predicting the prognosis of a woman with this disease.

Most doctors feel that early detection tests for breast cancer save thousands of lives each year. Many more lives probably could be saved if even more women and their health care providers took advantage of these tests.

Medicare and Medicaid, along with most insurances pay for mammograms. Jasper County has a resource that assists women who are uninsured to pay for mammogram.

Peney Stewart is the founder of Mammography to Save Lives. Stewart is a 15-year survivor of breast cancer survivor and she continues to lead the efforts to raise funds to support mammograms to women in Jasper County. There are two major fund raisers each year including the Iowa Father Daughter Golf Tournament and Ride 4 Time Friends of Mine. If you need assistance, call Stewart at 641-792-4043.

“You can make your own appointment at Skiff Medical Center and you just have to name a doctor to send the results to,” Stewart said.

Jasper County Health Department encourages all women over the age of 40 to schedule their yearly mammogram.

For more information, call 641-787-9224 or visit office at 115 N. Second Ave. E. Suite B1 in Newton.