The Basics of Breast Health at Every Age

This healthy post was provided by Penn Medicine Chester County Hospital. Visit us online to learn more about Breast Health.

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If you’re like most moms, I’m sure you’ll agree that there isn’t a second to worry about yourself until you’ve taken care of your family. Putting ourselves last is something we all do, but it’s not too late to make some small changes. We’re encouraging all moms to take time every day to monitor their breast health.

In this post, we’re sharing the simple steps you can work into your everyday routine to minimize your risk of breast cancer. You hear a lot about breast health, but what are the main things you need to know?

Every woman should understand her risk, adopt healthy lifestyle changes and perform the ABC’s of early detection. Use this information to educate not only yourself, but also your mother, sisters, or daughters about the importance of breast health.

Understanding Your Risk

The most significant risk factors for developing breast cancer are being a woman and getting older, two things we cannot control. One in eight women will develop breast cancer over her lifetime.

Here is how the risk looks broken down by age:

• Women in their 30s…1 in 233
• Women in their 40s…1 in 69
• Women in their 50s…1 in 38
• Women in their 60s…1 in 27

Other uncontrollable risk factors include:

• Genetic risk factors
• Older age of giving birth or never having children
•  Late menopause
•  Family history of breast cancer
• Treatment with radiation to the chest
• Earlier abnormal breast biopsy
• Race

Healthy Lifestyle Changes

The best thing you can do to minimize your risk is to look at your current lifestyle and see how you can tweak it to fit these guidelines – the best defense is an early offense.

• Maintain a healthy diet…low fat/increased folic acid
• Alcohol consumption…less than one drink per day
• Exercise regularly…30 minutes at least 5 days per week
• Maintain a healthy weight…body mass index (BMI) less than 25
• Know your family (and your own) health history

ABC’s of Early Detection

Early detection is still the best defense against breast cancer – make these practices part of your routine.

Annual Mammograms

• Start at age 40 unless you have a family history of a first-degree relative
• Mammograms can detect about 85% of all breast cancers

Breast Awareness

• Report any noted changes to your healthcare provider right away
• Normal nodularity vs. unusual changes (keep a record of your normal pattern for your breasts)

Clinical Breast Exams

• Every 3 years while in your 20s-30s
• Every year over 40 years of age

Self-Breast Exams

• Perform monthly and develop a routine
• Perform lying down and standing in front of a mirror
• Report any changes to your healthcare provider right away

Cancer Genetics Counseling and Testing

It is not uncommon to find a family history of multiple cancers afflicting both men and women in patients diagnosed with breast and/or ovarian cancer. It is estimated that approximately 5-10% of women that develop breast cancer and approximately 10% of women that develop ovarian cancer have inherited an alteration, or mutation, in one of their genes that predisposes to these cancers. The most common genes that predispose to breast and ovarian cancer are the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes.

Kim McGreevy, MS, CGC is a certified genetic counselor within the Women’s Specialty Center of The Chester County Hospital and Health System. Individuals concerned about their personal and/or family history of cancer may benefit from cancer genetic counseling. The following are indications for cancer genetic counseling:

• Individuals diagnosed with cancer at an early age (younger than 50)
• Women who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer at any age
• Individuals with two or more close relatives on the same side of the family with the same or related types of cancer (for instance breast and ovarian cancer or colon and uterine cancer)
• Individuals who have had more than one primary type of cancer (bilateral breast cancer or women with both breast and ovarian cancer)
• Individuals who have a family member who has been found to carry a mutation in a cancer predisposition gene
• Individuals of ethnicities that are known to have a higher risk to carry mutations in the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes (for example Ashkenazi Jewish)

If you are interested in scheduling an appointment with a genetic counselor to discuss your personal and/or family history of cancer and the option of genetic testing, you can contact Kim McGreevy, MS, CGC at 610.732.6739.

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Wednesday Wellness ~ Mammogram Screening Recommendations and Reminder

This healthy post was brought to you by The Chester County Hospital and Health System in recognition of Cancer Awareness Month.

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All women are encouraged to follow the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) recommendation to begin annual screening mammograms at the age of 40.

We understand there has been some confusion since the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force released a drastically different screening recommendation from the standard that we have been following. This change in recommendation, however, was based on older mammography technology, and does NOT apply to digital mammography.

NEED AN EASY REMINDER TO SCHEDULE YOUR MAMMOGRAM? CLICK HERE



Mammography is the optimal screening tool for the early diagnosis of breast cancer. Most specialty Societies have released statements in support of the continuation of annual mammograms for all women beginning at the age of 40. These include the American College of Surgeons, the American College of Obstetrician’s and Gynecologists, and the American College of Radiology, the Society of Breast Imaging, and the American Society of Breast Surgeons.

There are some women who are at increased risk for breast cancer because of family history, prior biopsy abnormality, or prior exposure to radiation who should start their screening at an earlier age. There is no set age at which women should stop having mammograms. Women should continue having mammograms as long as they are in good health and are physically able.

The rationale for the recommendations set forth by the US Preventive Services Task Force was attributed to the perceived potential harm screening mammography can have on women under the age of 50, specifically: psychological harm (i.e. stress), unnecessary imaging tests and biopsies, inconvenience due to false positive screening results and overdiagnosis / overtreatment for cancers which would not affect a woman’s life expectancy. Based on the open discussions among various medical societies, women’s groups and in the media, it would appear that these concerns are not shared by many.

To date, The Chester County Hospital is not aware of any change in insurance coverage for mammography, and the federal government has already taken steps to prevent this. In December 2009, the Senate approved an amendment to its healthcare overhaul bill that effectively nullifies the new guidelines and ensures mammography coverage for women starting at the age of 40.

All women are encouraged to contact their healthcare provider to discuss their optimal mammography schedule.

NEED AN EASY REMINDER TO SCHEDULE YOUR MAMMOGRAM? CLICK HERE FOR OUR “SCREENING GENIE.”
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About The Chester County Hospital and Health System
The Chester County Hospital and its satellite offices offer digital mammography, the latest in high-tech imaging to detect breast cancer at its earliest stages, before women experience symptoms. To schedule a mammogram, call 610.431.5131. [LEARN MORE]

Screening Genie (FREE Mammogram Reminder Service)

Screening Genie (mammogram reminder service)
Need a little help to remind yourself to schedule your mammogram appointments? The Chester County Hospital has come up with a way to help jog your memory. Using Screening Genie, you can keep track of your mammogram and send yourself convenient reminders to schedule it.

Mocktails, Mammograms and Manicures

Monday, January 10, 2011 from 4:00 PM -8:00 PM
Monday, January 17, 2011 from 4:00 PM -8:00 PM
Monday, January 24, 2011 from 4:00 PM -8:00 PM
Monday, January 31, 2011 from 4:00 PM -8:00 PM

You are invited to a special evening just for the girls… Main Line Health is offering a special event — “Mocktails, Mammograms & Manicures” — to make getting a mammogram a little more enjoyable! Have your annual mammogram in a Main Line Health screening facility. Get information from MLH experts

Call 1.866.CALL.MLH to reserve your appointment at one of the four locations below:

January 10, 2011
Bryn Mawr Hospital
Comprehensive Breast Center, Founders Building
101 South Bryn Mawr Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010

January 17, 2011
Paoli Hospital, Holloway Breast Center
255 West Lancaster Avenue, Paoli, PA 19301

January 24, 2011
Riddle Hospital, Women’s Imaging Center
1068 West Baltimore Pike, Media, PA 19063

January 31, 2011
Lankenau Medical Center, Comprehensive Breast Center 6th Floor, MSB
100 Lancaster Avenue, Wynnewood, PA 19096

It’s time to empower parents to protect the precious ears of the little ones they love!

Did you know that when MP3 players are purchased as gifts, the majority of purchasers are moms? That finding emerged at the Mommy Tech summit at the recently concluded Consumer Electronics Show. But do you know about the potential risks?

Kids often don’t know how to use audio technology safely and they can harm their hearing as a result. In fact, hearing loss among young people is reported to be on the rise and there are strong concerns that a generation of young people could end up with prevalent hearing loss.

“For some time, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) has warned that hearing loss in the United States could rise significantly due to the misuse of personal audio technology,” ASHA President Tommie L. Robinson, Jr. explains. “Unfortunately, a report released today by the Kaiser Family Foundation cites some alarming trends about excessive entertainment media consumption among our nation’s children, indirectly supporting ASHA’s concerns. This should be a warning to parents that they must regulate children’s exposure and fully understand the potential health threats associated with misuse and over exposure to such technologies.”

“ASHA will continue to bring these issues to the forefront and appreciates the Kaiser Family Foundation’s contributions to the national dialogue,” Robinson adds.

According to a 2004 study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, children were reported as being exposed to 6 hours and 21 minutes of media (TV, music, internet, etc) per day. By 2009, this statistic had increased dramatically to 7 hours and 38 minutes per day. When media multitasking is taken into account, this leaps to 10 hours and 45 minutes per day. This massive consumption of media has led to decreased grades in school and ASHA contends it puts kids at an increased risk of hearing loss. One thing that is clear from the study is that parents can be very positive influencers on how their children use entertainment media.

How You Can Help

Spread the Following Message….

Whether your child received an MP3 player, gaming device, cell phone, laptop, or any other device with headphones, don’t overlook the important health threat of hearing loss. Now is the time to reach out to other parents about the importance of hearing loss prevention, the damaging effects of excessive media consumption, and the resources available to them through ASHA.

Here are two simple ways to protect your children’s – and your own – hearing.·

Keep the volume down. A good guide is half volume. ·

Limit listening time. Give your hearing ‘quiet breaks’.

Find more information and statistics at ASHA’s website. You can also follow their Twitter feed or fan them on Facebook to get real time updates on their work.

The information above was provided by Global Influence

Women’s Health Lecture Series – Breast Cancer Awareness

“What’s New in the War Against Breast Cancer”

with Dr. Pamela Kurey, Ob/Gyn and Dr. Donelle Rhoads, Surgeon

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

7:00pm

Fern Hill Medical Campus Auditorium

915 Old Fern Hill Road, Bldg. B, Room 204

West Chester, PA

The lecture is free and light snacks will be served.

Accelerated Diagnostic Breast Evaluation at The Chester County Hospital

Accelerated Diagnostic Breast Evaluation – Questionable Lump. Unquestionable Service.

A suspicious lump can create worry. In an effort to be responsive and reassuring to patients, the Chester County Hospital’s Radiology Department has established a rapid appointment program, where patients who notice a lump at home can call the urgent appointments line: at 610.431.2611 and be scheduled for an appointment quickly.

After your primary care physician or gynecologist has seen you and performed a physical exam, call the Radiology Department and you can be seen within 24 hours. Urgent appointments for diagnostic mammograms are held aside each day for these types of requests. Patients will need to bring with them a prescription for the mammogram from their physician. Once at the Women’s Imaging Center, the patient will have the benefit of our digital technology, results that will be read immediately, our Breast Care Coordinator’s assistance, and the new spectrum of services offered at the Women’s Specialty Center.

To help prevent cancer, women are encouraged to do monthly self-breast exams as a first line of defense. According to the National Cancer Institute, there were 182,460 new cases of breast cancer in 2008 nationwide. The Hospital’s Cancer Data Center reports that there were 226 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed by its Cancer Program.

FREE Breast Cancer Screening

Breast Cancer Screening
Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009

8 a.m-12 noon

This FREE screening program is offered annually to women over 40 who do not have health insurance. The screening includes a mammogram and a clinical breast exam. The program is funded in part by the Linda Creed Breast Cancer Foundation. Registration is required.

Radiology and Women’s Imaging Center

Fern Hill Medical Campus

915 Old Fern Hill Road

Building D, Suite 400

West Chester, PA 19380

Registration: 610.431.5130