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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which means there is no better time to schedule a mammogram. In fact, of every 1,000 women who undergo screening, five of them will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Current guidelines recommend all women, regardless of family history, receive a mammogram every year beginning at age 40. But why is this screening so important? The experienced health care professionals at Women’s Clinic of Lincoln, P.C. in Nebraska provide a few reasons why mammograms are an important part of breast care below.

5 Reasons to Schedule a Mammogram Today

1. Reliability

While it’s important to perform breast self-exams regularly, if you’re older than 40, they should be done in conjunction with annual mammography screening. Mammograms can detect a lump up to two years before you can feel it. In fact, it’s the only method of screening shown by scientific studies to increase survival.

2. Early Detection

Getting screened regularly helps detect breast cancer early, when treatment is more likely to be successful. The American Cancer Society indicates if cancer is caught in the early stages when it’s localized (stage 0 or 1), the five-year survival rate is close to 100%. But the longer cancer goes undetected, the more likely it is to spread to other parts of the body, decreasing your chances of long-term survival.

3. Efficiency 

The process of getting a mammogram takes about 20 minutes. Although some women find it to be slightly uncomfortable, it’s a small inconvenience compared to the prospect of undergoing chemotherapy or surgical intervention for cancer that spread.

4. Inspiration

mammogramWhen you take a proactive approach to your health by undergoing mammography, you’ll inspire other women to follow your lead. You can encourage others further by openly discussing the experience and why you’ve made the choice to take control of your health. 

5. Survival

Simply put, mammograms save lives. They’re the best form of early detection, which is the most important factor in decreasing your chance of dying from breast cancer. Even if your screen comes back normal, your physician can use it as a yearly comparison to look for suspicious changes that could indicate disease.

This October, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, take a proactive approach to your health by scheduling a mammogram. For the past 44 years, Women’s Clinic of Lincoln, P.C. in Nebraska has been dedicated to providing quality women’s health care services, offering comprehensive screening and treatment options. To schedule an appointment, call (402) 434-3370 today, and visit their website to learn more.

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