Why You Should Care About Breast Cancer

      October is finally here! Pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin carving, football season…and oh yeah, did you get your mammogram this year? According to the American Cancer Society, women have a 13% chance of getting breast cancer in their lifetime. That’s 1 in 8 women! Even more alarming is that breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in women, second only to lung disease.

      How can you take steps to catch breast cancer early? The easiest way doesn’t even require taking time to go to the doctor! Self-exams, or recognizing how your breasts normally look and feel, are the easiest and first steps towards knowing when something changes.

Most common signs and symptoms of breast cancer include:

• Skin dimpling (skin looks like an orange peel)
• Nipple discharge
• Swelling some or all of the breast
• Breast or nipple pain
• Nipple retraction (turning inward)
• Nipple or breast skin that is red, dry, thick or flaking
• Swollen lymph nodes (under the armpit or around the collar bone)

If you have any of these symptoms, you should notify your medical provider!

      The second step towards early detection of breast cancer is a mammogram. Women who have an average risk (most women) have the option of starting screening at age 40. All women should have mammograms from 45 to 54 years old. Women 55 years and older have the option to continue yearly screenings or go every other year.

      The earlier you can detect breast cancer, the better likelihood you have at surviving, so drink your pumpkin spice lattes, carve your pumpkins, cheer on your football team, and GET YOUR MAMMOGRAM!

      The physicians at Summit Primary Care preventative services include wellness exams, referrals for mammograms, standard immunizations for adults and comprehensive management of a wide variety of conditions.

      We are one of the few practices in Southern Colorado who continually accept new patients with both private and public health insurances such as Medicare, Colorado Medicaid, HealthFirst Colorado.

      To schedule your annual wellness exam, please visit www.summitprimary.com to be connected to any one of our convenient locations in Denver, Colorado Springs, and Pueblo.

More links on this topic:

• https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/mammograms-fact-sheet 
• https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer.html
• https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/what-is-breast-cancer.htm
• https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-awareness-month

Author

Margaret Mays, MSN, APRN, ACNP-BC Margaret “Maggie” Mays, MSN, APRN, ACNP-BC, is a board-certified nurse practitioner who specializes in adult care and gerontology. She provides compassionate care to patients at Summit Primary Care in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Maggie attended the University of Georgia in Athens, where she obtained her B.S. in Psychology. Maggie then pursued her interest in nursing by obtaining her Bachelor of Science in nursing from Mercer University. She has an extensive history working in critical care and emergency medicine and obtained her Master of Science in Nursing with a focus on adult-gerontology from Duke University. Maggie loves caring for patients through education and teaching, empowering her patients to take control of their health in pursuit of a healthy lifestyle. She has been to Cambodia, Nicaragua, and Guatemala to help educate people on health care. Maggie has lived in Colorado Springs since 2017 and enjoys backpacking, fishing, and hiking with her dog in her free time.