2 • Wednesday, October 6, 2010
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2010
– Date: Saturday October 23 – Time of event: 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – What: Registration, door prizes, snacks, and 2 hours of Zumba Fitness – Place: Olympic Theatre Arts Gathering Hall – Cost: $15 at door or through pre-registration at Sequim Gym. – Wear: PINK, comfortable clothing. – Contact info: Maureen 460-8615 Kristin 477-1877 – Hosted by: Kristin LaMoure, certified Zumba Instructor – Co-sponsored by: Sequim Gym and Maureen Pfaff, Moe Motion Fitness
“In honor of my mother-in-law, Millie LaMoure.”
Olympic View Publishing Co. LLC P.O. Box 1750, Sequim, WA 98382 Phone: (360) 683-3311 • FAX: (360) 683-6670 “National Breast Cancer Awareness Month Tab 2010” is a special section of the Sequim Gazette. © 2010 by Olympic View Publishing Co. LLC. Publisher: Sue Ellen Riesau General Manager: Steve Perry • Special Sections Editor: Patricia Morrison Coate Section Coordinator: Julie-Ann Speelman • Publication Design: Cathy Clark
Sequim Gazette
Maureen Pfaff leads a Zumba class at Fitness West. Photo by Julie-Ann Speelman
Latin-themed dance party supports cancer research By Kristin LaMoure Sequim Gym How can you “party” in a healthy way to help “fight” a serious disease? The answer is at the “Party in Pink” Zumba Fitness Event on Saturday, Oct. 23. We often hear, “Everyone knows someone whose life is touched by cancer.” Breast cancer affects many women and even men. It then seems “fitting” to utilize Zumba Fitness, very popular to millions of women and some men, to benefit efforts to combat this prevalent disease. Based on Latin rhythms, this form of “exercise in disguise” provides an enjoyable, easy to follow way for people to dance their way toward their fitness goals. Zumba Fitness has teamed up with the Susan G. Komen Foundation to create “Party in Pink.” These dance exercise parties raise funds and awareness in the fight against breast cancer. Licensed and certified Zumba Fitness instructors
apply to host these events, in the hope to bring the community together for this worthy cause. The national Susan G. Komen Foundation provides links to local affiliates, including one in the Puget Sound area. Find information about local grants including Family Planning of Clallam County’s Honoring Women’s Health Project. Go to www.komenpugetsound.org/grants/ current-grant-recipients/ for the latest information on local organizations that have received funding from the Susan G. Komen foundation. Seventy-five percent of funds raised locally stays in the Puget Sound area. The remaining 25 percent goes to the national headquarters to fund research in fighting this disease. Exercise dramatically increases the chance of survival of any type of cancer. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends exercise to help cancer patients in
Sequim Gazette their rehabilitation. One fun source of exercise is Zumba Fitness. As with any exercise program, check with your doctor before beginning. I have seen a dramatic increase in adherence to exercise since adding these fun classes to our schedule at the gym. Sequim Gym will host a “Party in Pink” on Oct. 23. Maureen Pfaff from Moe Motion Fitness is a co-sponsor of the fund-raising
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2010 event. You can donate by sponsoring a “Party in Pink” participant or through an entrance fee to the event. Pre-registered participants may take two free Zumba classes at Sequim Gym to prepare for the big “party.” I encourage you to try other classes at the Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center and Aspire Academy, as some of these Zumba instructors will be presenting as well. If you can not finish the entire two-hour portion of the event, try joining in for a few songs. The Zumba Fitness formula calls for a warm-up and cool-down period, and several interval/recovery phases throughout the program. You will notice faster, more intense routines, followed by slower recovery routines, and then you will build to faster movements again. You do not have to be an experienced dancer to enjoy this event. For example, you can march in place to a merengue rhythm. You may tap in place to a reggae tone. If you find it difficult rotate through the hips or knee on a cumbia step, simply move your leg forward and back. The instructors will show basic Latin movements and modifications. Most participants catch on to the routines easily, since each one utilizes only two to four steps. And if you still have a little trouble following along, just remember, “When in doubt, march it out.” You still can participate in this worthy cause by donating, enjoying the party and moving to the music. And if you haven’t seen the inside of Olympic Theatre Arts gathering hall, this is a great opportunity to do so.
Kristen LaMoure dances in a Latin-inspired Zumba Fitness class. Photo by Julie-Ann Speelman
Information on Sequim’s Zumba Fitness “Party in Pink” Hosted by: Kristin LaMoure, certified Zumba Instructor Co-sponsored by: Sequim Gym and Maureen Pfaff, Moe Motion Fitness Date: Saturday, Oct. 23 Time of event: 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. What: Registration, door prizes, raffle, snacks and two hours of Zumba Fitness Place: Olympic Theatre Arts gathering hall Cost: $15 at door or through preregistration at Sequim Gym.
Wear: Pink, comfortable clothing, supportive soft-soled shoes that pivot easily on a smooth floor. Additional donations to the Susan G. Komen Foundation gladly accepted at this event. For more information contact, Kristen LaMoure at Sequim Gym, 681-2555, or 477-1877 sequimgym@yahoo.com, or Maureen Pfaff through Moe Motion Fitness at 460-8615.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010 • 3
In 2009, Safeway raised more than $18 million for breast cancer research, bringing the total to more than $78 million over the last eight years. We’re not stopping yet!
Join us at your Sequim Safeway store for Breast Cancer Awareness Month:
Come in and celebrate being a survivor by signing the Funny Car dragster that will be displayed in the store all month long.
Saturday, Oct. 23rd 2nd Annual Sequim Breast Cancer Walk Starts at 10 a.m. in the Safeway parking lot Pre-Registration fee $15 (youth $10) Registration at event $20
3rd Annual
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4 • Wednesday, October 6, 2010
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2010
Sequim Gazette
Fundraising key to cancer care, research By Julie-Ann Speelman Sequim Gazette Susan G. Komen is a name synonymous with breast cancer awareness, fundraising and research. At the age of 33, Komen was diagnosed with breast cancer. She died three years later after enduring surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Her sister, Nancy G. Brinker, promised she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer. She began Susan G. Komen for the Cure in 1982 and today, it is the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer activists and survivors. Passionately Pink for the Cure is a program through Susan G. Komen for the Cure. It is a fundraising program
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that inspires breast cancer advocacy while honoring those affected by the disease. Individuals, organizations, businesses or groups can register for Passionately Pink for the Cure for free. You simply set your goal, choose your event, build your team and send the donations. Ideas, materials are provided when you register. You also will receive a toolkit including brochures, thankyou note cards, sample e-mail, paycheck stuffers, a corporate matching gift form, a donation reply form and breast health information. To learn more or to register your team, visit http://ww5.komen.org and select “Passionately Pink for the Cure” under the “Get Involved” menu. The Olympic Medical Center Foundation offers ways to support local cancer patients and facilities. The eighth annual Harvest of Hope Winemaker’s Gala will be Saturday, Oct. 23, at the Sunland Golf and Country Club, presented by the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and OMCF. The gala’s theme is “An Evening in the Pacific Northwest” and will include a four-course dinner, prepared by local chef Doug Seaver of Michael’s Seafood and Steakhouse in Port Angeles. Also planned are a live auction and raffle drawings to benefit the patients of the Olympic Medical
FOUNDATION Cancer Center at the Thomas Family Cancer Center in Sequim. For the past two years, the fundraisers have netted about $100,000 annually, with the proceeds going to the cancer center. Other donor opportunities through Olympic Medical Center Foundation include personalized brick pavers, trees with donor recognition, benches or renovated room naming rights. Donations of cash, stocks, real estate or planned gifts can be directed to the department of your choice. For more information about the Harvest of Hope or other donor opportunities through Olympic Medical Center Foundation, call Sara Maloney at 417-7144 or visit its Web site at www.omhf.org.
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National Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2010
Sequim Gazette
Wednesday, October 6, 2010 • 5
How to perform a breast self-exam
Beginning in their 20s, women should be told about the benefits and limitations of breast self-exam (BSE). Women should know how their breasts normally look and feel and report any new breast changes to a health professional as soon as they are found. Finding a breast change does not necessarily mean there is a cancer. A woman can notice changes by being aware of how her breasts normally look and feel and by feeling her breasts for changes (breast awareness), or by choosing to use a step-by-step approach (see below) and using a specific schedule to examine her breasts.
How to examine your breasts • Lie down and place your right arm behind your head. The exam is done while lying down, not standing up. This is because when lying down the breast tissue spreads evenly over the
chest wall and is as thin as possible, making it much easier to feel all the breast tissue. • Use the finger pads of the three middle fingers on your left hand to feel for lumps in the right breast. Use overlapping dime-sized circular motions of the finger pads to feel the breast tissue. • Use three different levels of pressure to feel all the breast tissue. Light pressure is needed to feel the tissue closest to the skin; medium pressure to feel a little deeper; and firm pressure to feel the tissue closest to the chest and ribs. A firm ridge in the lower curve of each breast is normal. If you’re not sure how hard to press, talk with your doctor or nurse. Use each pressure level to feel the breast tissue before moving on to the next spot. • Move around the breast in an up and down pattern starting at an imaginary line drawn straight down your side from the underarm and moving across the breast to the middle of the sternum or breastbone. Be sure to check the entire breast area going down until you feel only ribs and up to the neck or collar bone. There is some evidence to suggest that the upand-down pattern (sometimes called the vertical
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pattern) is the most effective pattern for covering the entire breast, without missing any breast tissue. • Repeat the exam on your left breast, using the finger pads of the right hand. • While standing in front of a mirror with your hands pressing firmly down on your hips, look at your breasts for any changes of size, shape, contour, or dimpling, or redness or scaliness of the nipple or breast skin. • Examine each underarm while sitting up or standing and with your arm only slightly raised so you easily can feel in this area. Raising your arm straight up tightens the tissue in this area and makes it harder to examine. This procedure for doing a breast self-exam is different than in previous recommendations. These changes represent an extensive review of the medical literature and input from an expert advisory group. There is evidence that this position (lying down), area felt, pattern of coverage of the breast and use of different amounts of pressure increase a woman’s ability to find abnormal areas. Courtesy of the American Cancer Society
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2010
6 • Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Sequim Gazette
Anti-cancer vaccines show promise Editor’s note: Olympic Medical Cancer Center in Sequim is a provider care affliate with the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance composed of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, the University of Washington Medicine and Seattle Children’s. Amidst the test tubes and whirring machines in Dr. Mary “Nora” Disis’ expansive laboratory, you’ll often see an unusual sight: patients. These visitors come to see the cancer vaccine research that might save their lives. And it gives the lab scientists the opportunity to come face-to-face with the beneficiaries of their work. “Having patients up here all of the time puts a face on what we’re doing,” said Disis, a Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center immunology researcher and oncologist. “We can tangibly see that we’re doing something to try to better others’ lives.” Disis and her 35-member Tumor Vaccine Group based at the University of Washington are researching ways to prevent the recurrence of breast and ovarian cancer through vaccines that boost their patients’ immune systems. It’s a focus with lifesaving potential: 30 percent of women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer will have recurrences within five years and 80 percent of women treated for ovarian cancer relapse after
Dr. Nora Disis and her team at the University of Washington are researching ways to prevent the recurrence of breast and ovarian cancer through vaccines that boost their patients’ immune systems. Photo courtesy of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center the first treatment. The vaccine team recruits cancer patients whose tumors have responded well to surgery and therapies but whose chances of recurrence are high. The cancer vaccine stimulates the patients’ disease-fighting response by targeting a protein called H2N, which is found on the surface of the cancer cells in many women. These cancer cells are not seen as
foreign by the body, so there’s no danger signal to stimulate the immune system, said Disis, who also directs the UW’s Institute for Translational Health Sciences and is a professor of medicine in the oncology division. “Our goal is to create a vaccine that will activate
immunity to very high levels very rapidly,” against the H2N protein, Disis said. Results have been promising. In early clinical trials of patients with metastatic breast cancer, 40 percent still were alive nine years after vaccination. In a subsequent study of similar, latestage breast cancer patients who used the drug Herceptin — a group whose average survival is 18 to 23 months — Disis and colleagues found more than 80 percent of the patients were alive more than three years after vaccination and 40 percent never experienced disease recurrence. Given the pace of developments in the past five years, Disis is confident that cancer vaccines will be available within the next decade. She points to the proof of progress in 2009, when three advanced clinical trials showed benefit to vaccination in patients with prostate cancer, follicular lymphoma and melanoma. “When people ask why it’s taking so long, I’d say we’re here. This is it,” she said. And Disis is thrilled to be at the forefront of these breakthroughs. “This is the most fulfilling job I can imagine. There’s not one day where I don’t think, ‘How lucky can I be?’” ©2010 Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER RESEARCH CENTER A LIFE OF SCIENCE
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National Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010 • 7
Allies in the fight against cancer “Our relationships with community medical centers like Olympic Medical Cancer Center are very important because the SCCA’s mission of curing cancer can’t be accomplished without them. Everyone at Olympic Medical has shown their commitment to the residents of the Olympic Peninsula by providing the best in cancer treatment and partnering The struggle to eliminate cancer takes a team. Finding a with the SCCA only enhances that work.”
cure for all types of cancer requires a concerted effort by physicians, researchers and patients — precisely the type of relationship that exists between the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and Olympic Medical Cancer Center. As the SCCA’s first community-based cancer care provider affiliate, OMCC offers patients the best available treatment, including world-class cancer resources and expertise.
Getting to know the SCCA The SCCA consists of three renowned parent institutions — Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, University of Washington Medicine and Seattle Children’s — that partner to support clinical research of cancer, as well as improve cancer therapy treatments available to the public. “What makes the SCCA unique is that it’s primarily a cancer research hospital,” said Cec Zapata, MS, director of planning and network relations for the SCCA. “We conduct research in the entire spectrum of cancer and several physicians and clinicians at our parent institutions hold high awards in the field of cancer research, including three Nobel laureates.” Olympic Medical Cancer Center patients have access through SCCA to the top medical professionals in the field. Plans are in place to have a proton therapy center available at the SCCA within the next three years, the first of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. “One of our goals is to be the primary institution in leading the effort to detect and prevent cancer,” Zapata said. “This is the first step toward the overall cure of cancer, which is our vision for the future.”
How patients benefit
For one element of the partnership, the SCCA conducts continuing medical education forums and holds clinical cancer meetings on the peninsula. If a patient needs to visit the SCCA for consultation Cec Zapata, MS, director of planning and network relations or treatment, the relationship with for the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance OMC makes it a seamless transition. Patients also have the opportunity A lasting partnership to participate in clinical trials, thereby gaining access to A key component of the SCCA’s goal of enhancing innovative treatments and aiding the advance of medical cancer care in the region and beyond is the SCCA knowledge. Network program, which involves forming relationships “Most of all, the SCCA is a resource for community with community health care organizations and sharing hospitals like Olympic Medical,” Greer said. “If a expertise. physician sees something rare or unusual, we’re available “Olympic Medical was our charter member in 2002,” as a resource. If a case requires a complicated piece of said Reza Macaraeg, SCCA network services manager and equipment, and it’s not cost effective to have that on hand, lead contact and coordinator for the Olympic Medical/ we’re a resource for that as well. Cancer patients on the SCCA affiliation. “We now have eight members throughout Olympic Peninsula should feel very confident about the the Pacific Northwest. We see Olympic Medical as an ideal quality of care they receive close to home.” partner because its staff of talented professionals shares For more information about Olympic Medical Cancer our passion for providing the most advanced cancer Center and its affiliation with the SCCA, visit www. treatment options to patients.” olympicmedical.org, select “Our Facilities” then “Olympic Olympic Medical Cancer Center houses leading-edge Medical Cancer Center” or log on to www.seattlecca.org. radiation therapy equipment — including a $2.7 million Courtesy of Olympic Medical Center’s Living Well state-of-the-art linear accelerator going online this year — magazine. and a cancer resource library, as well as an excellent team of physicians. The past year has been an exciting time at As the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance works toward the goal Olympic Medical Cancer Center as radiation oncologists of finding a cure for cancer, it adheres to four purposes: Drs. Rena Zimmerman and Michael Shevach; and medical • Provide premier, patient-focused cancer care oncologist Dr. Erin Nelli joined Drs. Thomas Kummet and • Support the conduct of cancer clinical research and Christopher Williams on staff at OMCC. education “Olympic Medical Cancer Center allows for all cancer • Enhance access to improved cancer interventions services to be available in one location, making treatment • Advance the standard of cancer care, regionally and convenient for patients,” Macaraeg said. “If patients can beyond receive care locally, and they should, and they can be
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confident that their community providers have access to world-class resources through the SCCA.”
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8 • Wednesday, October 6, 2010
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2010
Breast cancer warning signs Early detection is key to treating and curing breast cancer. Many women regularly examine their breasts to look for common warning signs. These include: • A painless lump in the breast • Abnormal thickening of the breast tissue • A change in the density of the breast In addition, but less frequently, breast cancer can show up as: • A lump under the arm • Redness or scaliness of the skin on the breast • A change in the nipple (such as discharge or inversion) • A dimpling of the skin If you notice any change in the normal appearance or texture of either of your breasts, you should schedule a clinical breast examination with your physician. Most breast lumps are not cancerous, but they need to be sampled and viewed under a microscope.
Sequim Gazette
The manly side of breast cancer By Patricia Morrison Coate Sequim Gazette
Although about 200,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S. annually, it’s not solely a female disease. Women and their partners should know that some 2,000 men are diagnosed with breast cancer and an estimated 500 die of the disease, too. According to the National Cancer Institute, “Women tend to be aware of this disease and its possible warning signs but most men do not realize they have even a small risk of being affected. Some men ignore breast lumps or think they are caused by an infection or some other reason and they do not get medical treatment until the mass has had a chance to grow. Some men are embarrassed when they find a breast lump and worry that someone might question their masculinity. This may delay diagnosis and reduce a man’s chances for successful treatment.” Warning signs include a firm, non-tender mass below the nipple, skin changes around the nipple such as redness, puckering, scaling, retraction or ulceration, or any nipple discharge. Another common site for a mass is the upper outer breast quadrant. Typically, men with breast cancer are diagnosed in their 60s, but the disease can occur in younger men, too.
Because men have comparatively little breast tissue, malignant cells more often spread to nearby tissues or lymph nodes, increasing thee likelihood of metastasis. Eight out of 10 men en diagnosed with breast cancer cer have infiltrating or invasive sive ductal carcinoma, which hich spreads from the ducts into the fatty tissue of the breast. ast. As in women, treatment nt for men depends on the grade and stage of the cancer. A modified radical mastectomy is the standard surgicall treatment in conjunction on with radiation, chemotherapy apy or hormone therapy.
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National Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2010
Sequim Gazette
Wednesday, October 6, 2010 • 9
One-year later: Digital mammography making an impact By Bobby L. Beeman Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator
Women across Clallam County have benefited from digital mammography since its installation one year ago at Olympic Medical Center. More women are discovering their breast cancer early, allowing for earlier intervention. “When detected in its initial stages, the five-year survival rate for breast cancer is approximately 96 percent,” said Kacey Eichacker, women’s program supervisor for Olympic Medical Imaging Center. According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year survival rate refers to the percentage of patients who live at least five years after being diagnosed with cancer. Many of these patients live much longer than five years after diagnosis. As screening tools, such as digital mammography, have advanced, the detection of breast cancer in its initial stages has increased. “Survival rates are improving and this correlates with the increase in early detection,” said Eichacker.
Providing a valuable service
Despite its expense and inadequate reimbursement by Medicare, Olympic Medical Imaging Center provides digital mammography to
the community so its residents can have access to the most advanced level of care without traveling to Seattle. “Previously many women were leaving the area specifically for digital mammography because it was the best tool for their particular situation,” said Eichacker. “We don’t want women putting off their important screening because they couldn’t afford to travel or take the day off. We want women to receive an exceptional level of care right here at home.” In the first year, OMC has seen various improvements thanks to the installation of digital mammography. Women who have a finding in their diagnostic mammogram can now expect a diagnosis in three days as opposed to seven to eight days. “We are working hard to close the gap between unusual findings in the screening mammogram to diagnosis. We also want to let women know sooner if their diagnostic mammogram comes up negative, meaning no breast cancer,” Eichacker said. “Those few days can be frightening and our ultimate goal is to whittle that down to one-day or even same-day diagnosis.”
Partially funded by First Federal
In early 2009, First Federal provided Olympic Medical Center with an initial grant of $375,000 to use, in part, to install digital mammography equipment in Port Angeles and Sequim and provide advanced training for the technologists. In addition, on June 19, Olympic Medical utilized a portion of First Federal’s gift to provide free screening to 20 women who otherwise would not have been able to afford this valuable screening. OMC collaborated with Operation Uplift and held the Free Breast Health Screening event in conjunction with “Pink Up Port Angeles,” a Soroptimist initiative dedicated to raising awareness of breast cancer, along with raising money for Operation Uplift. Olympic Medical Center (Clallam County Public Hospital District No. 2) is a comprehensive, award-winning health care provider for more than 70,000 residents of Clallam County.
Sh Your Support for Show Breast Brea Cancer Awareness! H celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Help Month in October by dressing in pink, M ggathering your co-workers or friends (also wearing pink) and taking a group photo. We will post photos on the Web site at www.olympicmedical.org through November 5. Send photos to: bbeeman@ oolympicmedical.org or Attn: Strategic DDevelopment, Olympic Medical Center, 939 Caroline St., Port Angeles, WA 98362
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10 • Wednesday, October 6, 2010
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2010
Mammograms
Mammograms have saved innumerable lives on the North Olympic Peninsula and across the country say radiologists on staff at Olympic Medical Center. This simple screening often can catch breast cancer early, before it can be felt on a physical exam.
What is a mammogram?
Kacey Eichacker is the program supervisor for women’s imaging services at Olympic Medical Center. She oversees the implementation and use of digital mammography in Port Angeles and Sequim. Photo by Jerry Kraft
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Essentially, a mammogram is an X-ray of the breast used to locate and assess abnormalities in the breast tissue. Though breast mammography has been used for decades, ongoing advances have improved the technology and made it more ideal for use in detecting breast cancer. Today’s mammography machines produce lower levels of radiation than is found in a typical X-ray. This means the surrounding tissues absorb significantly less radiation. The black-and-white picture taken by the mammography machine is known as the mammogram. Physicians use two types of mammograms to detect and treat breast cancer. A screening mammogram is recommended as part of a healthy-lifestyle routine for women who don’t have any
risk factors. Physicians rely on diagnostic mammograms to evaluate an abnormality and/or to address concerns that may be noted on a screening exam.
Why get a mammogram?
Especially when combined with clinical breast exams, mammograms may be your best protection against breast cancer. When physicians catch most breast cancer in the beginning stages, they can begin the treatment process sooner. Although dependent upon the specific type of cancer, often these early stage lesions are more responsive to treatment.
Who needs mammograms and how often are they needed?
Research supporting the impact of mammograms is stronger than ever. However, a combination of screenings and tests may be a woman’s best defense against breast cancer. The American College of Physicians recently released new recommendations for women in their 40s to protect against this potentially deadly disease. Instead of yearly screening
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2010
Sequim Gazette
mammograms for everyone, the new guidelines suggest: • Physicians should periodically perform a patient assessment of risk for breast cancer to help guide decisions about screening mammography. • Physicians should inform patients in this age group about the potential benefits and harms of yearly screening mammography. • Physicians should base screening mammography decisions on benefits and harms of screening as well as a woman’s preferences and her breast cancer risk profile. In addition to the new guidelines for women in their 40s, recommendations for younger women from the American Cancer Society include: • Women in their 20s and 30s should have clinical breast exams at least every three years as part of regular health examinations. • Women with high and moderately high risk for breast cancer may be candidates for both mammograms and MRIs as directed by their physicians. Be sure to discuss your medical history with your physician to develop the screening schedule that’s best for your needs.
What should I expect when I schedule my next mammogram?
At Olympic Medical Center, the mammography experience is designed with your comfort and privacy in mind. When it’s time for your mammogram, you’ll be led into a separate room and given a wrap to cover your chest. You may wish to wear a blouse or skirt or pants so that only your top will need to be removed.
The Truth About
mammogram can make a big difference in breast cancer detection.
The average-size lump detected by a mammogram is 1.1 cm. However, routine mammograms often detect much smaller tumors.
The average-size lump detected by regular self-exam is 2.1 cm, slightly bigger than a dime at 1.7907 cm.
A mammography technician, most of whom are women at OMC, will be the only other person present during the mammogram. This medical professional has been carefully trained to obtain clear, accurate images in as efficient a manner as possible. During the mammogram, each breast is placed between two plastic plates for a few seconds. This minimizes any movement during the procedure and leads to sharper, easier-to-read images. While each breast is compressed,
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Wednesday, October 6, 2010 • 11
The average-size lump accidentally found without routine checks is 3.6 cm. A U.S. half-dollar is slightly smaller than the lump size at 3.0607 cm.
the mammography technician will take X-ray pictures. The entire process usually takes less than 20 minutes and you typically should receive the results of your mammogram soon thereafter. With three FDA-approved OMC locations in Port Angeles and Sequim, your next mammogram can be as convenient as it is effective. To schedule your next mammogram at an OMC location, call the image scheduling line at 565-9003.
12 • Wednesday, October 6, 2010
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2010
Sequim Gazette