Is it time for you to send out your preventative care broadcast for patients who are due for a mammogram?
Have a look at this sample broadcast below and feel free to share this with your patients:
Dear Patient,
You are due for a mammogram.
What is it?
A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast that can find abnormal changes in the breast, even when they may be too small to feel or see.
Is it safe?
Mammography uses a low dose of radiation. The benefits of screening and finding cancer early are more important than potential harm from the X-ray.
Are they effective?
- Getting screened regularly with mammography is important because it can find cancer early when it is less likely to have spread to other parts of the body. Treatment may also have a better chance of working when breast cancer is found early.
- Research shows that women ages 50 to 74 who get screened regularly with mammography can lower their chance of dying from breast cancer.
- Mammography is not a perfect test and may miss some breast cancers. This is called a “false-negative” result. In addition, some cancers may grow in the time between screens. This is why regular screening is important.
- Mammograms are sometimes abnormal, but when a woman has more tests (e.g., biopsies), they might show that she has no cancer. This is called a “false-positive” result.
- Some breast cancers found through screening may never harm a woman during her lifetime. This means some women may have surgery or treatment for a breast cancer that would have never been life-threatening. This is called “over-diagnosis.”
- Some cancers found at screening cannot be treated successfully.
What happens during a mammogram?
If you are planning to have a mammogram to check for breast cancer, you may be wondering what it will be like.
- A medical radiation technologist (someone who is trained to take mammograms) will place your breast on the mammography machine.
- A plastic plate will move down slowly to press the breast and hold it in place.
- There will be some pressure for a few seconds on the breast, much like a tight blood pressure cuff. This pressure does not harm your breast tissue. The person taking the mammogram is trained to make sure the experience is as comfortable as possible and will be able to adjust the pressure if needed.
- Mammograms are taken of each breast from 2 different angles.
- The appointment usually takes about 15 minutes.
If you are interested in having our office book you a mammogram please reply to this message and let us know if you would like us to book your mammogram at: <insert specific locations>
Please also note, if you prefer to not have mammographic screening please ignore this message.
References for this broadcast are taken directly from Cancer. Care Ontario’s Information Page on Mammogram FAQ’s