Did You Know? Saints Women’s Center Locations: Lowell/North Andover A clinical breast exam should be part of your regular medical check up every three years until the age of 40, when it should be done yearly. A clinical breast exam is done to find any changes in the breast or to evaluate other problems that may need additional treatment

Did You Know? Yearly mammograms should be performed starting at the age of 40. Mammograms screen for breast cancer and investigate abnormal areas that may be too small to be felt. Women at higher risk for breast cancer may need earlier screening or additional tests. Saints Women’s Center Locations: Lowell/North Andover

Did You Know? The ABC’s of Breast Health- A nnual screening mammogram B reast self examination C linical breast exam This personal action plan will help find breast cancer earlier, when it is most treatable. Saints Women’s Center Locations: Lowell/North Andover

Did You Know? Breast cancer can occur at any age, but it is more likely to occur after the age of 40. Some risk factors, like a person's age, can't be changed. Risk factors that can be changed include smoking cessation, eating a healthy low fat diet and limited alcohol intake. Saints Women’s Center Locations: Lowell/North Andover

Did You Know? Lump in the breast/swelling of all or part of the breast Skin irritation or dimpling Breast pain, nipple pain or the nipple turning inward Redness, scaliness, thickening of the nipple/breast skin Nipple discharge other than breast milk The signs of breast cancer include: If you have any of these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately Saints Women’s Center Locations: Lowell/North Andover

Did You Know? Having a mother, sister, or daughter with breast cancer approximately doubles a woman's risk. Breast cancer risk is higher among women whose close blood relatives have this disease. Saints Women’s Center Locations: Lowell/North Andover

Did You Know? About 5% to 10% of breast cancers are thought to be hereditary or resulting from inherited genes from your parents. Mutations in the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 are the most common cause of hereditary breast cancer. Saints Women’s Center Locations: Lowell/North Andover

Did You Know? About 10% of women who have a mammogram will require additional views. Additional pictures are important if the first mammogram captured some overlapping tissue. Positioning the breast differently often resolves the problem. Saints Women’s Center Locations: Lowell/North Andover

Did You Know? For women 40 years or older, a referral or doctor’s order is not needed for annual screening mammograms. A referral is not necessary because a screening mammogram is a routine screening for women who do not have signs or symptoms of breast disease. Saints Women’s Center Locations: Lowell/North Andover

Did You Know? The Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA) is a Federal law designed to ensure that mammograms are safe and reliable. All mammography facilities in the United States must meet stringent quality standards, be accredited by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and be inspected annually. Saints Women’s Center Locations: Lowell/North Andover

Did You Know? Both digital and conventional mammography use X-rays to take pictures of the breast. Conventional mammography stores the picture on film and digital mammography takes electronic picture and stores it on the computer. Either type of image is important for the radiologist to use as a comparison to your future mammograms. Saints Women’s Center Locations: Lowell/North Andover

These substances can cause artifacts on your image, making them difficult to interpret. Some contain aluminum flecks that look like calcifications and require additional views. Did You Know? It is important not to wear deodorant, talcum powder or lotion the day of your mammogram. Saints Women’s Center Locations: Lowell/North Andover