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Prairie du Chien, WI - The American Cancer Society states that finding cancer early and getting state-of-the-art cancer treatment are the most important strategies to prevent deaths from breast cancer. Regular screening mammograms are the most effective way to detect breast cancer early.

Charlene Sauer, Family Nurse Practitioner at Crossing Rivers Health Clinic, stated, “Different experts have different recommendations for breast cancer screening in the form of mammography. Starting at age 40, it's important to talk to your provider about the benefits and risks of screening. This should be a personal choice between the woman and her health care provider. If you are under 40, but have a relative who was diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age, talk to your health care provider about early screening. As a provider, I recommend annual mammography at age 40 (or earlier screening depending on history), monthly self - exam, as well as annual professional exam of the breast by a healthcare provider. At Crossing Rivers Health Clinic, we can calculate your personal lifetime risk for developing breast cancer and are happy to answer any questions you may have. Be proactive, come in for your annual exam or physical – it may save your life! “

Jean Blake, Medical Imaging Supervisor at Crossing Rivers Health adds, “The Medical Imaging team at Crossing Rivers Health challenges you to take action. There are lots of actions that can help save lives: talk to one woman about the guidelines for mammography, schedule your mammogram, or encourage a woman you love to schedule her exam.”

3D™ Tomosynthesis Mammography at Crossing Rivers Health is the most advanced technology available to detect breast cancer and provides a superior mammogram for all breast types. The technology captures 120 images of each breast to create a detailed, 3D image which allows the radiologist to see right through dense tissue in greater detail, helping to identify small calcifications that could be potential cancers.

Tim Clark, Medical Imaging Director, adds, “Crossing Rivers Health is able to provide any breast imaging service available within the Medical Imaging department: breast ultrasound guided biopsies, stereotactic 3D biopsies, and breast MRI. You do not have to have your screening mammogram ordered by a doctor or other healthcare provider. We only need the name of your health care provider so that we may send him or her the final report.”

According to the American Cancer Society, simply being a woman is the main risk factor for breast cancer. Men can have breast cancer too, but breast cancer is about 100 times more common in women than in men. Some risk factors for breast cancer, such as age, can't be avoided. On the other hand, there are some risks that you can control. It's important to be aware both of the risks you can't change and of those you can do something about. Remember, seventy-five percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no special identifiable risk factors: screening only women with risk factors will miss the vast majority of women who will develop breast cancer.

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