Every year in Manitoba, approximately 900 women are told they have breast cancer, and about 200 women die from the disease.
Brandy Pantel, a health educator with BreastCheck Manitoba, says the organization is hoping to reduce that second figure by increasing access to breast cancer screening in the province.
From August 8 to 19, the BreastCheck mobile breast screening clinic will be visiting Flin Flon and offering mammograms to local women 50 years of age and over.
While BreastCheck, a program funded by Cancer Care Manitoba, offers mammograms throughout the year at permanent sites in Winnipeg, Brandon, Thompson and Morden, two mobile screening clinics make the service accessible to women outside of these centres.
Pantel said women over 50 should be getting a mammogram every two years, as part of their regular self-care routines.
“Regular screening mammograms are the best way to find breast cancer early, and when we find breast cancer early there are often more options for treatment, and a better chance of a cure,” she said.
While the BreastCheck screening program is only available to women in this age bracket, Pantel said that younger women who have risk factors for breast cancer, such as a family history of the cancer, should talk with their health care providers.
A mammogram involves an x-ray of breast tissue using a very low dose of radiation. While some women find mammograms uncomfortable, as the breast tissue needs to be compressed for the x-ray, Pantel said the discomfort lasts only seconds, whereas the benefits of screening can be huge.
“We know that regular screening can reduce the number of women who die by 20 to 30 per cent,” explained Pantel. “This is a test that could save your life.”
Pantel noted that women should not panic if they are called back for a second test after their mammogram: she said, on average, of 1,000 women tested, approximately 56 will get a call for further testing, but only five or six of those women would be diagnosed with breast cancer.
“It just means we’ve seen something, and want to take a closer look at it,” she said.
“It’s really stressful to get that call. I do a lot of work to normalize that part of the screening process.”
Pantel added that the mobile clinic has replaced its analog equipment with digital equipment, a transition that she compares to the one most photographers have made from film to digital cameras. Pantel said the switch brings numerous benefits to women who are getting screened, the primary one being that the technologist can see the mammography images right away, and can retake the x-ray if there are any issues. Results can also be transmitted among clinics instantly, and electronically, rather than using a courier service.
In Flin Flon, the BreastCheck mobile clinic, a bright pink van, will be stationed outside the Primary Health Care Centre from August 8 to 19. Women can book appointments by calling 1-800-903-9290.
