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NOW OFFERING 3-D MAMMOGRAMS
This new technology is now available at UVM
Health Network–Alice Hyde Medical Center,
providing the women in our community with the
most advanced technology in breast health.
To schedule a
mammogram,
talk to your
primary care
provider.
key
questions
and
answers
about
breast cancer
What are the warning signs?
The most common symptom is a new
lump in your breast. Often, cancerous
lumps feel different from noncancerous
ones. Lumps that are painless, hard, oddly
shaped and feel as though they are firmly
attached within the breast are more likely to
be cancerous. But breast cancers can also be
tender, soft, smooth, round and moveable.
They might even be painful.
So alert your doctor if you notice a new
lump or mass—or if you have:
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Swelling of all or part of a breast.
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Dimpling or puckering in the breast skin.
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Redness, scaliness or thickening of a nipple
or breast skin.
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A nipple turned inward.
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Breast or nipple pain.
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Nipple discharge other than breast milk,
such as blood.
Keep in mind, too, that breast cancer
sometimes spreads to lymph nodes under the
arm or around the collarbone—even before the
original tumor in a breast is large enough to be
felt. This means you should also tell your doctor
about any lumps or swelling in these areas.
How often should I have a
mammogram?
Most women should have a
mammogram, or breast x-ray, every
year starting at age 45. At age 55, talk to your
doctor about switching to every other year.
Regular mammograms are a must, because
they can find tumors that are still so tiny that
they can’t be felt by a doctor. And detecting
breast cancer at an early stage increases the
chances that it can be treated successfully.
However, if you have an above-average risk for
breast cancer—for instance, if you have a family
history of the disease—you may need to start
getting mammograms earlier. Talk to your doctor
about a screening schedule that is best for you.
What is digital breast
tomosynthesis?
Digital breast tomosynthesis, or
3-D mammography, is one of the latest
technological innovations in women’s health
care. It enables images of the whole breast to be
taken in slices, helping your doctor differentiate
between normal breast tissue and true breast
lesions. While all patients can benefit from the
use of 3-D mammography, women with dense
breasts will see significant benefits.
Dense breast tissue can hide cancer on
traditional mammograms, resulting in delayed
diagnosis and worse outcomes. Women with
dense breasts often require supplemental
screenings, such as ultrasound or breast MRI
procedures. These additional screenings are
not only time consuming and expensive, they
also leave the patient with a greater sense of
uncertainty and stress throughout the extended
process. 3-D mammography increases cancer
detection across all breast densities. With 3-D
imaging, there are also fewer false positives.
Women are significantly less likely to need
to come back for additional mammographic
views, making the experience more convenient
and less stressful.
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WHEN
it comes to breast cancer, you can’t be too curious. The more you know about breast cancer—especially
how to detect it—the more you might be able to protect yourself from this all-too-common disease.
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