One of the most devastating things a woman can hear is that she has
breast cancer. Breast cancer is a potentially fatal disease that
affects approximately one in 11 women. If your mother, grandmother,
sister or maternal aunt have had breast cancer, your risk increases.
The best way to stay healthy is to perform monthly self-breast exams
and get a mammogram when recommended by your health care provider.
Although no diagnostic test is always 100 percent accurate, early
detection of breast cancer by mammogram can save your life.
For the general population, a baseline screening mammogram should
first be done at age 35. However, by age 40, a yearly mammogram is
recommended. If there is a close family member with breast cancer, you
may need a mammogram 10 years prior to their cancer. See your health
care provider at least once a year for a full physical examination and
Pap smear with breast exam. You can discuss any questions or problems
you are having at that time and obtain professional advice as to what
tests are appropriate for you.
Young women who are sexually active at any age should receive a Pap
smear at least once a year. Eighteen-year-old women should have a Pap
smear regardless of whether they are sexually active or not.
Bassett Healthcare in West Winfield has two female providers who
perform Pap smears and physical exams. We also have a mobile
mammography unit that performs mammograms right in our office on Main
Street.
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