Local

Mammograms encouraged for those at risk during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

By Kelcey Norris Mahoning Matters

October 4, 2023 5:12 AM

Why should women consider getting a mammogram this month? Here’s what experts are saying:

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

According to the Cleveland Clinic, getting a mammogram should be at the top of women’s wellness priorities.

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer for women in the U.S., making early detection important.

If you have an average risk of breast cancer and you’re over the age of 40, doctors recommend getting an annual screening mammogram.

Being at risk means someone in your family has been diagnosed with breast cancer or you’ve had breast cancer before.

What is a mammogram?

A mammogram is an X-ray imaging test that gives doctors a baseline and can find any changes in breast tissue.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, the baseline image can be compared to future mammogram results to see if or how breasts have changed.

Patients should talk with healthcare providers about when to get a screening.

Mercy Health mobile mammogram schedule in October

This month, mammograms are available through the Joanie Abdu Comprehensive Breast Care Center’s Mobile Mammography Unit.

The vehicle will make the following stops in October in the Valley:

8 – 11 a.m. Oct. 4 at Churchill Primary Care, 4694 Belmont Ave. in Youngstown
12:30 - 2:15 p.m. Oct. 4 at Cortland Primary Care on Windsor Drive in Cortland
8 – 11:15 a.m. Oct. 5 at Mineral Ridge Primary Care, 1360 N. Canfield-Niles Road in Mineral Ridge
12:30 - 2:15 p.m. Oct. 5 at Austintown Primary Care, 5533 Mahoning Ave. in Austintown
8 a.m. - 2:15 p.m. Oct. 6 at Howland Primary Care, 1932 Niles-Cortland Road in Warren
8 – 11:15 a.m. Oct. 9 at Youngstown Primary Care, 2031 Belmont Ave. in Youngstown
12:30 - 2:15 p.m. Oct. 9 at Cornersburg Primary Care, 2955 Canfield Road in Youngstown
8:15 – 11 a.m. Oct. 10 at Champion Primary Care, 5901 Mahoning Ave. in Champion
12:30 - 2:15 p.m. Oct. 10 at Warren Primary Care, 1296 Tod Pl. NW in Warren
8 – 11:15 a.m. Oct. 11 at Boardman Primary Care, 8423 Market St. in Boardman
12:30 - 2:15 p.m. Oct. 11 at Struthers Primary Care, 53 State St. in Struthers
8 a.m. - 2:15 p.m. Oct. 12 at Howland Primary Care, 1932 Niles-Cortland Road in Warren
8:30 – 11:15 a.m. and 12:30 - 2 p.m. Oct. 16 at Salem Primary Care, 564 E. 2^nd St. in Salem
9 – 11:15 a.m. Oct. 17 at New Bethel Church, 1507 Hillman St. in Youngstown
12:30 – 2:15 p.m. Oct. 17 at Mahoning County Job and Family Services, 345 Oak Hill in Youngstown
8 – 11:15 a.m. Oct. 18 at North Lima Primary Care, 9471 Market St. in North Lima
12:30 - 2:15 p.m. Oct. 18 at Eisenhower Primary Care, 7341 Eisenhower Dr. in Boardman
8 - 11 a.m. Oct. 19 at St. Joe’s at the Mall, 5555 Youngstown Warren Road #202 in Niles
12:30 - 2:15 p.m. Oct. 19 at Niles Wellness Center, 213 Sharkey Dr. in Niles
8 a.m.– 2:15 p.m. Oct. 20 at Stutz Primary Care, 3685 Stutz Dr. in Canfield
8 a.m. - 2:15 p.m. Oct. 24 at Howland Primary Care, 1932 Niles-Cortland Road in Warren
8 – 11:15 a.m. Oct. 25 at Talsman Primary Care, 61 Talsman Dr. in Canfield
12:30 - 2:15 p.m. Oct. 25 at Trailwood Primary Care, 900 Trailwood Dr. in Boardman
8 a.m. - 2:15 p.m. Oct. 26 at Vienna Primary Care, 341 Youngstown-Kingsville Road in Vienna
8 a.m. - 2:15 p.m. Oct. 27 at Canfield Primary Care, 3660 Stutz Dr. in Canfield
8 – 11 a.m. Oct. 31 at TTM Technologies, 12080 Debartolo Dr. in North Jackson
12:30 - 2:15 p.m. Oct. 31 at Hollywood Gaming, 655 N. Canfield-Niles Road in Youngstown

For more information or to schedule a mammogram, call 330-480-2654.

How AI can read mammograms

Detecting breast cancer might be easier to do with artificial intelligence, sometimes referred to as AI.

It’s now being used to help doctors read mammograms, according to Laura Dean, diagnostic radiology specialist for Cleveland Clinic.

“It’s not anything that the patient would be able to see. It’s something that we see on the detection side,” said Dean. “So, it’s basically just an algorithm or annotations that are embedded into the patient images that we see when we’re reviewing all of the imaging for the patient.”

Dean said AI can help spot more subtle findings in breast imaging. Research shows it can also help radiologists be more efficient and accurate.

She said another benefit is that artificial intelligence is constantly learning from known or proven cancers, and can apply that information while analyzing images.

Dr. Dean uses AI in her own practice.

She said there have been multiple occasions where it has detected something she couldn’t see.

“I think everyone, and me included, we tend to be a little bit skeptical initially when we have a task that a computer is performing. It takes a little bit of time to learn trust, to kind of learn how to apply that to our practice,” she said. “But, I think it’s really exciting to see how this has helped aid our detection of breast cancer. We, of course, want to find breast cancer as early as we possibly can.”