October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Greene County Medical Center urges women to get annual mammograms. 

Lead Mammographer Heath Booth tells Raccoon Valley Radio one in eight women develop invasive breast cancer in their lifetime, and it is estimated that over 276,000 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer this year, while 48,500 women will be diagnosed with non-invasive breast cancer. She says risk factors for breast cancer include family history, obesity, starting menstruation at an earlier age, menopause at an older age and alcohol consumption. 

Booth encourages women to do a self-breast exam on a monthly basis, regardless of age.

“It’s not to only feel for changes, but to also look for any new changes, whether it be any new moles that appear, changes in your skin texture. We call it ‘orange peel,’ where the skin gets a little rough, like an orange peel, (along with) any nipple discharge, anything out of the ordinary, it’s important to feel for changes, but to also look for changes too.”   

Booth recommends getting a mammogram, beginning at age 40, on an annual basis. She explains why these women should get a yearly mammogram.

“That way, if something changes from one year to the next, we catch it really early. And that gives our patients the best outcome. We catch it early before it has spread to other areas of the body, and it gives our patients the easiest treatment, and can very easily save their lives.”    

Booth adds, even though breast cancer is the leading cause of death for women, there is a 90-percent survival rate if detected early.