October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Here are quick facts about breast cancer and what you can do to improve your health, provided by Dr. Hetty Hei-Wah Wong, Associate Medical Director, Family Medicine with Obstetrics.

1. Mammograms are an important part of your regular health care. Mammograms can help detect breast cancer early when it is easier to treat. Mammogram screenings can begin at age 40 but no later than 50 years old and should be done every 1-2 years. Speak with your provider to decide at what age is appropriate for you to start.
2. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the United States and unequally affects women of color. African American women and White women get breast cancer at about the same rate, but African American women die from breast cancer at a higher rate than White women. To learn more about what you can do, visit Take Action.
3. If you have risk factors such as a family history of breast cancer, your doctor may want you to start earlier. Regardless of age, if you are noticing irregular changes in your breasts, talk to your provider about what steps to take, including scheduling a mammogram.
4. You can take steps to lower your risk of developing cancer today! Learn more about the risk factors you can change and how to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer.

Connect with your provider about what you can do to reduce your risk and check when you should schedule your next mammogram. When you're ready to make an appointment visit our Request an Appointment page.