Breast Care and Screenings

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and a good time to schedule a meeting with your doctor to see if it is time for your annual mammogram.

Are you one of the many women who thought that having a screening mammogram every two years is enough? Rutland Regional’s guidelines generally recommend women at average risk should consider starting annual screening mammograms at age 40. Women who are at higher risk may need to start mammograms earlier.

By age 25, women should have a conversation with their doctor about breast cancer risk factors. Risk factors include having a mother, sister, or daughter who had breast cancer, if you started your period before age 12 or started menopause after age 55. But keep in mind, you can still get breast cancer even if you do not have any family history. There is not a recommended age to stop having mammograms as the risk of breast cancer increases with age. Patients should talk to their doctor before stopping annual screening mammograms.

Mammograms are quick and easy; they take about 20 minutes, and our technologists want to make your experience as comfortable as possible.

Early detection is best! Rutland Regional Medical Center has the most advanced low-dose 3D mammography equipment available. Mammography can increase survival rates and find an early breast cancer before a lump can be felt. The 5-year survival rate is 99% if the breast cancer is found before it spreads outside the breast.

About 40% of women have dense breast tissue, and it is important for women with dense tissue to talk to their doctor to decide if additional screening exams such as breast ultrasound or breast MRI are helpful in addition to annual mammograms.

The Breast Imaging Program at RRMC is supported by a certified breast navigator who gives patients a personalized experience, with one-to-one support and education. The navigator communicates and explains breast imaging results to patients and their families, coordinates additional imaging, breast procedures, and works with patients’ doctors to send referrals to oncology and surgery if needed. As a patient you are not alone in this journey. We have specialists who walk you through the next steps in your breast care.

Rutland Regional Medical Center is recognized as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence, which means you will be cared for by a team with the highest level of quality in imaging and radiation safety.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and a good time to schedule a meeting with your doctor to see if it is time for your annual mammogram.