‘Worth the 15 Minutes’
Local Hospital Team Member Finds Peace of Mind with Early Cancer Screenings Being only 36 years old with no family history of breast cancer, mammograms weren’t top of mind for April Hanlin of Manassas. But living with multiple sclerosis – an autoimmune disease that attacks the protective coverings of the nerves – and starting a new treatment that increased her risk for breast cancer, she decided to take control of her health and talk to her provider about early screening. Her team may not have found cancer but undergoing 2D and 3D mammograms put Hanlin in the driver’s seat for her future health. MAMMOGRAMS DETECT MORE THAN CANCER A mammogram is a non-invasive, low-dose X-ray that detects malignancies in breast tissue. It can identify early signs of breast cancer and other breast abnormalities, months or even years before a self-exam. There are two types of mammograms. 2D mammograms produce two images: one from the side and one from above. In 3D mammograms, the X-ray machine moves in an arc over the breast. This movement captures multiple images from different angles to give radiologists a clearer view of the breast tissue. The American Cancer Society recommends women who are at average risk for breast cancer start screening through annual mammograms around age 40. Risk factors such as family history or, as in Hanlin’s case, certain medications could be reasons to consider early screening. If there is a strong family history of breast cancer, screenings should start 10 years before the age that the family member was diagnosed. For example, if a mother was diagnosed at 35, the daughter should Mammography technologist Misty Carroll and April Hanlin. start screening at 25. CARE CLOSE TO HOME As a member of the local health system’s communications team since December 2019 and a patient in the outpatient infusion center even longer, Hanlin knew how to navigate the halls at Prince William Medical Center. But that didn’t make her any more confident about going in for her baseline mammogram. “I was really nervous,” Hanlin said. However, she quickly became more relaxed when she met her mammography technologist, Misty Carroll. “She was super friendly,” Hanlin added. “We talked about our families and decorating for the holidays. She knew how to get my mind off everything that was happening.” Carroll has been a mammography technologist at Prince William Medical Center for four years. She thrives on interacting with patients and being able to care for them at their most vulnerable state. “When April came in for her baseline, she didn’t really know what to expect,” Carroll recalled. “But she’s so strong and stayed positive the entire time.” Carroll tries to treat every patient like her own family. She walks each patient through what to expect ahead of their mammogram and explains what she is doing every step of the way. After receiving the results of her baseline mammogram, Hanlin was called back for further imaging of two abnormal findings. One ended up being normal, and one warranted a breast ultrasound for
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“The additional testing gave me the peace of mind I needed. We have to be our own advocates when it comes to our health.” — APRIL HANLIN additional imaging. Before the end of the appointment, the radiologist had the results of the 3D mammogram and ultrasound and provided Hanlin with a presumed diagnosis for the roughly dime-sized mass and options for the next steps. With the support of her breast imaging team, she chose to undergo a biopsy. Within one month of her baseline mammogram, Hanlin had pathology results – and answers. As the radiologist suspected, she had a fibroadenoma, a very common non-cancerous tumor found in women in their 20s and 30s. “The additional testing gave me the peace of mind I needed,” Hanlin said. “We have to be our own
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advocates when it comes to our health.” Hanlin knew seeking care close to home would mean not having to travel far for procedures, but she was pleased to experience first-hand the exceptional women’s care that she helps to promote at Prince William Medical Center. MAMMOGRAMS SAVE LIVES Like all cancer screenings, mammograms make a difference in diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of breast cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, mammograms have helped improve the breast cancer survival rate to nearly 90% of patients. “Early detection is key, and imaging like mammograms make this possible,” Carroll said. A baseline or annual mammogram takes on average just 10 to 15 minutes to complete and diagnostic imaging, including 3D imaging, averages 30 minutes. “It’s worth the 15 minutes,” Carroll said. “We’ve probably waited longer in the Starbucks drivethrough.” Today, Hanlin says she’s feeling great after her mostly uneventful first breast cancer screening. Her six-month follow-up scan came back normal with no further tests required, and she’s excited about only needing to get screened once a year for the foreseeable future. “Visiting Misty is now something to look forward to every July,” she said. For more information on women’s health services at Prince William Medical Center and Haymarket Medical Center, visit UVAHealth.com/PW-women.
