Winter 2010 - St. Joseph's Health Care London

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MISS INFORMATION The facts behind common misconceptions about mammography You stare at your calendar, uncomfortable with the thought of what lies ahead. Perhaps it’s your fi rst mammogram, or you are a seasoned test taker. No matter. The same troubling concerns can weigh heavily on your mind. “It’s really a small price to pay for such an important test,” says Cathy Ammendolea, president of the Canadian Breast Cancer Network and a cancer survivor. “The bottom line is that mammograms help save lives. There isn’t much more to say than that.” These days, taking what amounts to an X-ray of the breasts has improved dramatically since mammograms arrived on the medical scene in the late 1960s. Faster, less painful exams under the care of better skilled medical professionals have improved the experience. Women also have become more informed about mammography. The latest fi gures from the Public Health Agency of Canada show that close to 62 per cent of women between 50 and 69 years of age received a screening mammogram within the past two years. Yet there remains some misinformation about these potentially life-saving exams, Ammendolea says. Things that may make a woman less likely to have regular mammograms. BY DAVID SCHWARTZ
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BLEND IMAGES MYTH : “Radiation from the test will give me cancer.” The radiation exposure from mammograms today is extremely low. Specialists say there have been no fi ndings to indicate that radiation received during mammograms increases breast cancer risk. And don’t think it hasn’t fallen under the microscope of medical researchers. It is a well-studied issue and has been for years. The radiation a woman gets from a mammogram is about the same amount as she would get just by living three months in her normal, everyday environment. MYTH : “Film mammography doesn’t detect cancer as well as digital.” FACT: Both digital and film are effective tools in detecting breast cancer. Digital imaging has advantages, with its images recorded, viewed and stored in a computer rather than on large sheets of fi lm. That makes the images more easily manipulated and transferable to specialists if need be. A recent study found that digital mammography may prove more effective for women younger than 50 and for those with dense breast tissue. And it’s considered the gold standard when it comes to diagnosing abnormalities. But that doesn’t mean it is the only option for many women when it comes to screening mammograms. Film continues to be relied upon by some doctors, especially for mammograms of older, post-menopausal women. And, of course, fi lm mammography is better than not being screened at all. “It all depends on the woman involved and what her situation is,” Ammendolea says. “Film still works very well and has for years. It’s very accurate.” Online FACT: You don’t need to worry about radiation from mammograms giving you cancer. MYTH : “Abnormal results mean I have cancer.” Do You Need a Mammogram? If you’re in your 40s, talk to your doctor about whether you need to have screening mammograms. To help decide, download a decision aid from the Canadian Cancer Society. Visit www.cancer.ca and search “decision aid” today. Central Services St. Joseph’s Hospital is now the central location for all hospital-based breast imaging, breast assessment and breast surgery clinics in London. In September, these services, previously located at both St. Joseph’s and London Health Sciences Centre, were consolidated at St. Joseph’s. The purpose is to improve access and coordination of care, education and support for patients facing breast cancer in Southwestern Ontario. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy remain at the London Regional Cancer Program of London Health Sciences Centre. At St. Joseph’s, which is well known for its breast imaging expertise and state-of-the-art technology, digital mammography—proven to increase cancer detection—is available to all women. Among important benefits of consolidation are consistent education and support for women throughout the breast care journey, and significantly reduced wait times from diagnosis to breast cancer surgery. FACT: An abnormal result means more tests are needed. “More often than not, it’s not cancer,” says Ammendolea, a 10-year cancer survivor. “It just means that further investigation is needed—that other steps need to be taken.” Just look at the statistics. The Canadian Cancer Society reports that roughly 7 per cent of women screened will have abnormalities that suggest breast cancer, but most times it turns out not to be the disease. Ammendolea suggests women try to take the emotion out of the initial fi nding as best they can. She says the bottom line is that, unfortunately, there will be false positive results and the anxiety that goes along with them. But that’s not the fi nal answer. Vim & Vigour · WINTER 2010 17
Page 1 and 2: vim& WINTER 2010 St. Joseph’s Cel
Page 3 and 4: mind matters Local events spotlight
Page 5 and 6: COVER PHOTO BY NIGEL DICKSON DEPART
Page 7 and 8: A ROYAL BEGINNING “Coronation Day
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Page 13 and 14: PHOTOGRAPHY BY RADIUS IMAGES a KNOW
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Page 29 and 30: PHOTOGRAPH BY NIGEL DICKSON Getting
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Winter 2010 - St. Joseph's Health Care London

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