Spring is an ideal time to discuss key cancer screenings, like mammograms. Recommended for women over the age of 40, mammograms take images of your breasts to detect abnormalities, like cancer.

Mille Lacs Health System now has 3-D Tomography Mammograms, which offer earlier and more accurate detection of breast cancer.

Below is more information on why getting regular mammograms from a trusted family clinic is so important.

Age-Related Risks

Since 1990, mammograms have been responsible for reducing mortality rates in breast cancer patients by 40%. They’re a crucial component of a comprehensive health plan for women once they reach the age of 40, when they should begin receiving regular screenings.

Your risk for developing breast cancer jumps from 1 in 228 at the age of 30 to 1 in 69 by the age of 40, even if you have very low risk and no family history of the disease. While your screening schedule may be personalized to address your risk level, having at least one mammogram a year will greatly reduce your chances of invasive treatment and losing the battle to the disease.

Early Detection

With regular screenings, your physician can detect cancers and abnormal growths in the very early stages, when cancer is most treatable. Mammography is particularly useful in detecting small tumors in the ducts of the breast, which are often removed without complication or harm to the patient, and a mammogram is the only known way to identify these tumors in their early stages.

Mammograms also detect abnormalities and changes in your breasts as much as two years before they’d be noticed by yourself or your doctor. Early treatment improves the prognosis for the patient, with less extensive treatments being needed and more of the breast tissue being saved.

When you need a skilled family clinic to perform your mammogram, contact Mille Lacs Health System in Onamia, MN. Comprised of various medical services, including urgent care and family health care, these experienced medical providers will protect your future by preserving your health today. As part of their family health care services, they offer 3-D Tomography Mammograms. Beyond their family clinic, they have urgent care, emergency room, and hospital services. In 2018, they received the Women’s Choice Award for America’s Best Hospitals for Emergency Care. Learn about their family health care services online and call (320) 532-3154 to schedule your mammogram at their family clinic today.