Northwest Texas Hospital emphasizes the importance of scheduling mammograms

AMARILLO, Texas (KVII) — Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women… and one in eight women will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives.

Jessica Garza, oncology nurse navigator, says mammograms pave the way for prevention.

“The earlier we start doing mammograms, the more we can get a baseline of what the tissue looks like, and if the tissue starts to change and something starts to form, then they have a baseline from the original mammogram and can go from there and sort of monitor that,” Garza said.

In 2024, it is estimated that there will be over 300,000 new cases of breast cancer in the United States. Garza says the portrayal of breast cancer has changed in recent years.

“I have seen women in their 20s and 30s getting breast cancer. “It used to be considered a disease of old age, but it’s not like cancer is even more discriminatory and anyone can get it,” Garza said.

Garza recommends speaking to your primary care doctor if you want to have a mammogram or if you experience symptoms on your body such as abnormal lumps, nipple discharge, or a change in skin color.

“The earlier you detect tissue changes, the better the treatment and survival rates,” Garza said.

Mammograms are the first annual test for breast cancer, but other tests may also be done to check for abnormalities in other parts of the body.

“The bone density scan is more for the aging population, the ultrasound is not done until the mammogram is done and they find some type of abnormality,” Garza said.

Northwest Texas Hospital will host a brunch at its Women’s Imaging Center on Oct. 16 from 10 a.m. to noon to perform mammograms and answer questions about breast cancer.