Are you do for a mammogram

Nearly 100% of women with stage 0 or 1 breast cancer live at least five years after diagnosis. But if cancer has a chance to spread, the chance of survival drops steeply. If you’re a woman age 50 to 74, getting a mammogram every two years improves your chances for early detection and survival of breast cancer. This may be the motivation you need to pick up the phone and make your appointment today.

The National Institutes of Health agree a mammogram – a low-dose screening X-ray – is the most important step you can take to protect yourself against breast cancer. These images give doctors information they can’t get by examination alone, detecting changes in tissue like lumps, tumors or minuscule calcium deposits that might otherwise go unnoticed.

3-D mammograms: the latest screening technology

Three-dimensional imaging provides additional detail that can lead to more accurate evaluations of breast tissue, with benefits that are hard to ignore:

• Detects 20-65% more invasive breast cancer than 2-D mammography.
• Allows for earlier detection and a greater range of treatment options.
• Results in 40% fewer callbacks.
• Is approved by the FDA as superior for women with dense breast tissue.

Martin’s Point offers both 3-D and 2-D breast imaging at two Maine locations: Brunswick at 74 Baribeau Drive (207-798-4050), and Portland at 331 Veranda St. (207-828-2402). More insurance plans now cover 3-D mammograms, but it’s a good idea to check with your carrier before you make an appointment.

Need a nudge? Find a buddy.

National TV colleagues Meredith Vieira and Angela LaGreca used to remind each other to make their mammogram appointments and then go together. After several years their system lapsed, but they got back on track just in time. When LaGreca was diagnosed with breast cancer – small in scale and treatable – both friends credited the buddy system for the early catch.

Don’t let this important screening slip. Reach out to a friend today and make your appointments together, because early detection saves lives.