by Gina Fedele

According to the American Cancer Society nearly 281,550 new cases of invasive breast cancer and 49,290 new cases of non-invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women in the United States in 2021. Although one in eight women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime, one in six of these cases will occur in women between the ages of 40 and 49, which is a troublesome statistic.

Even more troublesome, is the fact that the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is reporting that later stage cancer diagnoses are expected as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which individuals delayed life-saving cancer screenings. The conservative estimate indicates there will be 10,000 excess deaths from both colon and breast cancer within the next 10 years due to delays in screening and treatment. This is because some cancers grow slowly, and the impact of the pandemic on overall cancer deaths will not be clear for many years, according to Eric Feuer, Ph.D., chief of the Statistical Research and Applications Branch in NCI’s Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences.

Dr. Anna Chen, Windsong Radiology Group’s Director of Women’s Imaging, says, “Breast cancer screening is a time-sensitive imaging exam. Like other imaging facilities, we have seen an increase in the size of tumors and late-stage cancers this year, which is likely attributed to the delays in breast cancer screening caused by the pandemic.”

Early detection of breast cancer, when it is more easily treated, is essential. Making breast health a priority saves lives. Women are encouraged to get back on track with annual breast cancer screening exams and schedule any screening they may have postponed due to the pandemic as soon as possible. Patients also need to know that extra precautions are being taken at Windsong to ensure the safety of patients and staff. This includes enhanced COVID screening and disinfecting, and mandatory masking of patients and staff. Windsong has also modified workflows to further protect patients and accommodate any backlog of patients who are overdue for their screenings.

Windsong follows the breast cancer screening guidelines from the American Society of Breast Surgeons. Women with an average risk of breast cancer should start annual screening mammograms at age 40 and those with a higher-than-average risk should start annual screening mammograms at an earlier age. Women should also be offered additional imaging each year. Recommendations for women who have recently received a COVID-19 vaccine is to allow four to six weeks before scheduling their mammogram.

Most importantly, Windsong wants people to know that it is important to get screened, as putting it off could result in missed cancers that might be larger and more advanced, and that, in general, cancers are easier to treat in their early stages.

To make an appointment call 716-631-2500 or visit www.windsongwny.com to request an appointment.

Gina Fedele is the Marketing Services Manager at Windsong Radiology.