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Canton-Potsdam Hospital making no immediate changes regarding mammography advice despite study citing patient confusion

Posted 2/21/14

POTSDAM -- Canton-Potsdam Hospital won’t “necessarily” change advice given to patients about mammography, despite recent Canadian studies citing confusion among patients. Although many …

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Canton-Potsdam Hospital making no immediate changes regarding mammography advice despite study citing patient confusion

Posted

POTSDAM -- Canton-Potsdam Hospital won’t “necessarily” change advice given to patients about mammography, despite recent Canadian studies citing confusion among patients.

Although many “new” thoughts on mammograms have cropped up in the last year or so, the latest study adds to the consensus that breast cancer is a variable disease, said Florence Bero, MD, chair of the Department of Family Practice.

“Some are very aggressive and some are not. A mammogram has never been as good a screening test as some other tests for other types of cancer, but it remains the best screening tool available, combined with self-breast exam and a clinical breast exam by a health care professional,” said Bero.

“There are new imaging modalities that are now available such as ultrasound and MRI, but these are usually reserved for high-risk patients as well as evaluation of abnormalities. Ultimately, this study reminds us to first do no harm. Every patient is different and women should discuss their individual situation with their health care provider prior to deciding for or against a mammogram,” she said.

The guidelines issued by the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, the American College of Radiologists, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend yearly mammograms beginning at age 40. Patients with a first-degree relative diagnosed with breast cancer before age 50 are encouraged to begin screenings at age 30.

“The considerations for women do not change based on this new information,” said Alecia VanWagner, primary care practitioner at the Cheel Medical Campus on Lawrence Avenue. “Mainly because the decision to have a mammogram is highly personal. It should be part of a medical examination, taking account of factors such as the texture and density of a woman’s breast tissue, her stage of life, the time of the month, any previous surgeries, whether or not she has given birth, and many other factors that should enter into the decision to order a mammogram.”

“Recommendations and guidelines are just that: they should be taken in context, meaning they are a starting point or a trigger for a woman to have the conversation with her doctor,” she said.

“Within the past few years, we’ve seen some women who skipped routine screenings, and when they’ve had a subsequent mammogram, unfortunately we found cancers at a later stage. The recommendations haven’t changed because recommended annual screenings are still the best way to detect breast cancer at an earlier, treatable stage,” said Joyce Foster, mammography coordinator at CPH.

“Most importantly, I encourage regular self-breast exams. Women who know what feels ‘normal’ are better prepared to know when something doesn’t seem right,” said VanWagner.

For more information visit www.cphospital.org.