Taking care of your health is the best thing you can do for yourself every day! Schedule your yearly checkup with your doctor and any health screenings you need. One of the most important screenings for women is for breast cancer.
What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the breast. Cancer starts when abnormal cells begin to grow out of control. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the United States. While breast cancer usually affects women, men can get breast cancer too. Finding it early often means treatment is easier and works better.
Tip: Phrases to know
A screening is a test or examination used to find a disease in people who don’t have any symptoms.
A breast cancer screening, or mammogram, looks for any signs of cancer before any symptoms appear (such as a lump in the breast).
Early detection means finding a disease before symptoms start. This gives more options for treatment.
Why is breast cancer screening important?
Many women with breast cancer have no symptoms. This is why having a regular breast cancer screening is so important. Mammograms are the most common way to screen for breast cancer. An X-ray is taken to look at the breasts. Alliance members can get a mammogram at no cost as part of their preventive health care visits.
If you need help finding a doctor, call Member Services at 800-700-3874, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. If you need language assistance, we have a special telephone line to get an interpreter who speaks your language at no cost to you. For the Hearing or Speech Assistance Line, call 800-735-2929 (TTY: Dial 711).
How can women lower their risk of breast cancer?
Lifestyle and genetics are the two factors that most affect a woman’s lifetime risk of breast cancer. Examples of lifestyles changes that may help lower risk include:
- Keeping a healthy weight.
- Being physically active. This can be as simple as taking a daily walk.
- Avoiding excessive alcohol.
Although you can’t change your genes, you can get screening if you are at a higher risk. Always tell your doctor about any family members who have had breast cancer or of any type of cancer.
Who should get a breast cancer screening?
Alliance members ages 40–74 can get a mammogram every two years at no cost. Women at higher risk for breast cancer should start screenings at age 30. If you have any questions about when you should have breast cancer screenings, ask your doctor.
You know your body best! If anything seems wrong or you have a concern, tell your doctor right away—even if you recently had a mammogram.
How can I learn more about breast cancer screenings?
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Cancer Society websites have more details on breast cancer and screenings.
Need help?
If you need help finding a doctor, call Member Services at 800-700-3874, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. If you need language assistance, we have a special telephone line to get an interpreter who speaks your language at no cost to you. For the Hearing or Speech Assistance Line, call 800-735-2929 (TTY: Dial 711).
