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The importance of annual mammograms

Portsmouth Regional Hospital - October 25, 2024

At Portsmouth Regional Hospital’s Breast Center, our breast health providers recommend an annual screening mammogram after the age of 40 per American Board of Radiology guidelines. But, why?

Here are just a few reasons:

  • About 1 in 8 women (estimated 13%) will develop breast cancer throughout their lifetime.
  • Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women.
  • In 2021, it’s estimated that 30% of newly diagnosed cancers in women will be breast cancers.
  • A woman’s risk of breast cancer nearly doubles if she has a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) who has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
  • About 85% of breast cancers occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer.

Breast cancer screening has been proven to find cancers at an earlier and more treatable stage with a greater chance of a cure. At Portsmouth Regional Hospital’s Breast Center, we do not simply perform mammograms – we educate patients about how they can avoid or fight breast cancer.

The National Accreditation Program fully accredits Portsmouth Regional Hospital for Breast Centers (NAPBC). This highly sought-after accreditation status elevates Portsmouth Regional Hospital’s breast program. This means that every person seeking and receiving care at our facility gets the best-in-class care from a team of physicians and nurses who have special training and skills in diseases of the breast – both benign breast conditions and breast cancer alike.

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