Aspirus | Aspire | Fall 2018

Make a promise Don’t delay your next mammogram HERE’S a pledge that’s well worth making: “I’ll call for an appointment to talk with my health care provider about breast cancer screening.” You might be too busy to get to it today. That’s OK. So how does tomorrow look? Whytheurgency? When it comes to breast cancer, early detection offers women the best chance of surviving the disease, according to the American Cancer Society. “There are some things that increase your risk for breast cancer, such as your age; having close relatives with the disease; having dense breasts; or not having children or having your first child after age 30,” said Rachel Dixon, PA-C, family medicine provider at Aspirus Gilman Clinic. But having a risk factor doesn’t mean you’ll get the disease. “That’s why talking with your provider is so important,” Dixon said. “You can discuss your personal risk and decide what’s best for you.” Stayalert Turning 40? If so, ask your provider about getting mammograms annually. If you’re overdue for a mammogram, schedule it as soon as possible. Even if you’re in your 20s or 30s, you can take steps to help protect yourself. At any age, you should be familiar with how your breasts look and feel. Dixon urges seeing a provider right away if you notice any of the following signs or symptoms in a breast: w w A lump. Cancerous breast lumps tend to be hard, painless and irregular (not rounded) around the edges. w w Swelling in a breast—or sometimes in the armpit or collarbone area. w w Irritated or dimpled breast skin. w w Breast or nipple pain. w w A nipple that points inward. w w Red, scaly or thickening nipple or breast skin. w w Bloody or clear nipple discharge. Aspirus offers screening mammograms to women beginning at age 40 and continuing annually. Although not all organizations agree on when to begin routine screening for breast cancer, there is agreement on the part of all groups that beginning screening at 40 may make sense for some women after considering the benefits and limitations of the test. Most health care organizations emphasize working with your health care provider to determine your risk factors to see what’s right for your particular situation. Aspirus strongly recommends collaborative decision-making between a woman and her provider to decide what approach is best for her. Go to aspirus.org or call the Aspirus Customer Contact Center at 800.847.4707 to find a provider or learn more about Aspirus breast care and imaging services. Mobile mammography 3D mammograms are coming to you! InMarch, Aspirus began taking its new40-footmobilemammogram vehicle out on the road to bring advanced 3D technology to patients in the communitieswhere they live. This advanced 3D technology gives patients amore accurate result than 2Dmammography and can find breast cancers thatmay not be seen using 2D technology. The new vehicle replaces Aspirus’ mobile unit that provided 2Dmammography services to patients for the past 10 years. Mobile mammography unit services (screenings only) are provided at these Aspirus locations: w w Land O’Lakes. w w Merrill. w w Phillips. w w Rhinelander. w w Wittenberg. w w Woodruff. Call 715.847.2550 to schedule an appointment. SHOULDYOUBESCREENED? Visit aspirus.org/breasthealth to take a quick assessment. The Aspirus Mobile Mammography Unit Rachel Dixon, PA-C 10 aspire Fall 2018