Early Detection Program Provides Free Mammograms for Eligible Women

By TN Dept. of Health

October 17, 2002

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Thursday, October 17th is National Breast Cancer Awareness Day. "Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death in women in the United States. In 2001, 852 Tennesseans died from breast cancer and more than 3,800 cases are diagnosed in this state each year," said Mary Jane Dewey, Director of Tennessee’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. "The Department of Health urges women over 50 to schedule an annual exam including a mammogram. A mammogram is a simple x-ray that can detect abnormalities, which may lead to invasive cancer."

An annual exam is a woman’s best protection. Local health departments and primary care clinics can provide screening services and referrals if further tests are needed. For some women who meet the age and other eligibility requirements, these mammograms are free.

Breast cancer may strike any woman--all women are at risk. Certain characteristics put some women at greater risk for breast cancer than others. The most important is increasing age, but others include: family or personal history of breast cancer, history of benign breast disease, late age of woman at the time her first child is born, early age at onset of menstruation, and late age for menopause.

Women who are over 50 should consult with their doctor about having an annual mammogram. Women between 40 and 49 with a personal history of breast cancer or who have a close family member who has experienced breast cancer should also consider asking their doctor about an annual mammogram.

For more information about breast health, call the Tennessee Breast and Cervical Care Program at 1-877-96-WOMEN or the National Cancer Institutes at 1-800-4-CANCER.