Get your mammogram; early detection saves lives. That’s the timely message from two breast cancer experts this Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Many women delayed getting their annual mammogram out of concern for COVID-19, says breast surgeon Anne Peled, M.D., co-director of Sutter’s CPMC Breast Health Center at the new Center for Women’s Health Care in San Francisco.
While Dr. Peled says many women who delayed screenings have now gotten back on track, CPMC’s breast care teams still found that nearly ¾ of women who were diagnosed with breast cancer between July 2020 and December 2020 had delayed their mammograms beyond the recommended interval. In a KRON 4 news story, Dr. Peled emphasizes these women need to return for yearly breast screening and clinical examination.
Watch the KRON 4 interview.
In a detailed interview with KPFA public radio, Eileen Consorti, M.D., an oncology surgeon and medical director of the Carol Ann Read Breast Health Program at Sutter’s Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, shares the latest information on breast cancer including symptoms, early detection, mammography and treatment. She also discusses screening options, including the Alta Bates Summit/Carol Ann Read Breast Health Program’s mobile mammography van for underserved women in the community who lack access to breast cancer screening services.
(Listen to the KPFA radio interview. The interview begins at 8:05.)
As breast cancer survivors, both Dr. Peled and Dr. Consorti say their own experiences inform the care they provide their patients. And both physicians emphasize how important and potentially lifesaving regular screening, and early detection of breast cancer, can be.
Note: This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
