Breast Cancer Awareness 101

While October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, there are important items you need to know year round that can help you take charge of your health and increase awareness every day:

  • Start having annual screening mammograms at age 40. 
  • If you have a family history, talk to your doctor about starting earlier (Consider having your first mammogram 10 years prior to a 1st degree relative's diagnosis)
  • Women may schedule their own mammogram without a Physician's order AND each woman has the right to choose where she has her mammogram. 
  • Typically, insurance covers one per year. If you are uninsured, VRI offers 65% off the cost of the mammogram.
  • Cumberland County has a lower incidence rate yet higher death rate from breast cancer than the state and national averages ?  20% over - primarily because women are not being screened and the cancer is be caught at too late a stage.  The death rates are particularly higher in African American women.  This means our community needs to have a greater emphasis on screening in this demographic.
  • If found in:
    • Stage 0 - 5 year survival rate of 100%
    • Stage 1 - 5 year survival rate of 98%
    • Stage 2 - 5 year survival rate of 80%
    • Stage 3 and 4 - 5 year survival rate of 25%
  • There is a 1 in 8 lifetime risk of breast cancer.
  • VRI offers a comprehensive breast care program including digital screening and diagnostic mammography, breast ultrasounds, ultrasound guided biopsies, and a fellowship trained women's imaging Radiologist to give personal care to each patient.  Also, Breast MR is coming soon!  Breast MR is particularly helpful in post diagnosis follow up and smaller, more dense breasts. 
  • Convenient appointments for mammograms including same-day, evenings, and weekends. 
  • Appointments take less than 10 minutes.

Call 910-323-2209 to schedule your mammogram today!