Breast Cancer Doesn’t Quarantine

For more than a year, COVID-19 has drastically changed our lives. The pandemic forced many of us to stay home from work and school. It also delayed people from getting preventative health screenings including annual mammograms. While postponing your screenings for a few months may not be too bad, it becomes more risky if it turns into a year.

According to a recent study, about 4 million American women missed their mammogram during the pandemic. “Our concern is that because of this delay in care, we will not be able to diagnose breast cancers when they are most treatable”, says Gwyn Ogden, Radiology Director at Delhi Hospital. Many women who develop breast cancer experience no symptoms. A mammogram can be lifesaving by detecting cancer long before a woman feels a lump. Breast cancer detected early usually means more treatment options and a better chance of survival.

With many people now vaccinated and restrictions being lifted, let’s remind and encourage your family members, friends, and loved ones to return to care. For those of us that missed our mammograms in 2020, it is time to get back to it! Don’t delay this potentially life-saving screening any longer. The 3D Mammography Suite at Delhi Hospital is open and is taking all measures necessary to make sure our patients are safe, healthy and cancer-free.

With so much attention focused on COVID-19, it’s easy to forget about other health issues such as breast cancer, but these threats have not changed. The good news is with that routine screenings, often times we can catch problems early so that treatment is more effective. Equipped with the technology of 3D Mammography, the Radiology Team at Delhi Hospital can catch breast cancer in its earliest, most treatable stage. In fact, this technology allows us to detect 40% more invasive breast cancers compared to the 2D standard mammogram alone.

It’s too soon to predict the full impact of COVID-19 on breast imaging and women’s health, but one thing remains certain: a yearly mammogram is an essential step in early detection of breast cancer. Bottom line, it’s important to receive your routine screenings, despite the pandemic. You can be assured that the Delhi Hospital Radiology Department has increased their safety standards to keep our patients safe during their mammogram experience- including in-office physical distancing, sanitizing after each exam, and requiring all staff and patients to wear a mask.

Remember, breast cancer will not wait for the pandemic to end – but neither will the Radiology Team at Delhi Hospital! Don’t put your health on hold. Contact us at 318-878-6350 to schedule your annual mammogram today