Across our community and the entire country this month, we will celebrate the brave women who have done battle with breast cancer. October traditionally provides opportunities to educate millions of women on the importance of screening and prevention. Between 1990 and 2013, the death rate from breast cancer decreased by 37 percent, or nearly a quarter of a million lives.
The decrease is certainly due, in large part, to women declining hormone therapies during and after menopause but also to aggressive campaigns encouraging women over 40 to be vigilant about mammograms. Today, 67 percent of women older than 40 report having had a mammogram in the past two years, totaling nearly 39 million mammograms per year. The digital diagnostic tools of today can detect changes in the breast years before a tumor develops. And statistics tell us that the five-year survival rate is nearly 99 percent when breast cancer is detected in the early stages.
While recommendations have changed through the years regarding who should get screened and when, the general standards for women at average risk remain the same:
• Starting at age 40, all women can choose whether to start annual screening with mammograms.
• Women age 45-54 should have a mammogram every year.
• Women 55 and older should switch to mammograms every two years, but can choose to continue annual screenings.
• Screenings should continue as long as a woman is in good general health and is expected to live 10 more years or longer.
Some women are at higher risk of developing breast cancer based on family history, genetic mutations and some prior health conditions and therapies. If you fall into this category, it's important to talk with your doctor about more aggressive detection measures and whether they're right for you. Today, Siloam Springs Regional Hospital offers technologies like digital mammography and a 128-slice Computed Tomography scanner, giving those who are most vulnerable to this disease the best chance to detect it early and survive.
Of course, it's vitally important to remember that, like any cancer or other disease, prevention is absolutely the best medicine. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. Minimize your risk by following these general rules to supercharge your immune system:
• Keep a healthy weight, with a BMI at or below 24.
• Engage in physical exercise at least four hours each week.
• Get eight hours of sleep most days -- preferably during nighttime hours.
• Limit alcohol consumption to no more than one drink per day.
• Avoid exposure to chemicals that can cause cancer -- you can find a detailed list of known carcinogens at www.cancer.org.
• Limit exposure to radiation, using X-rays, CT scans and PET scans only when medically necessary.
• Before taking any type of hormone replacement or birth control therapy, ask your doctor to ensure you are balancing the risks and benefits.
• If possible, breastfeed any children you may have.
Our team at Siloam Springs Regional Hospital looks forward to celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness Month with all the survivors, families and advocates here in our community. If you need to find a physician, visit SSRH.net.
About Northwest Health
Northwest Health is one of the largest health networks in Northwest Arkansas with five hospitals: Northwest Medical Center, Bentonville; Northwest Medical Center, Springdale; Northwest Medical Center, Willow Creek Women's Hospital; Siloam Springs Regional Hospital; and Northwest Health Physicians' Specialty Hospital. The system has 487 beds, a combined active medical staff of more than 540 physicians and 2,200 employees working together to provide quality healthcare for the region. Collectively, Northwest Health hospitals had more than 18,000 inpatient admissions, 90,000 emergency room visits and 4,200 deliveries in 2015. Northwest Health Physicians' Specialty Hospital is owned in part by physicians.
Editorial on 10/19/2016