When to Get a Mammogram with TidalHealth

SALISBURY, Md. – In this week’s edition of Health Beat, brought to you by TidalHealth, WMDT spoke with Carrie Hager, a nurse practitioner with the TidalHealth Breast Center in Salisbury.

Hager shared that physicians recommend starting breast cancer screenings at age 40 — but there are exceptions. For women with a family history of breast cancer, some doctors will suggest routine mammograms for those as young as 25.

“If you were to notice a problem with your breast — a lump or nipple inversion, a dimple, anything new — we’d recommend you reach out to your doctor right away, and they would likely order some diagnostic imaging,” Hager explained. “I hear women say all the time that they noticed a change, but they had their mammogram scheduled next month, so they’ll just get it looked at then, but we do recommend a different type of a mammogram when there’s a problem.”

Other factors that can cause women to be considered at a high-risk of breast cancer besides family history include having pre-cancerous tissue, lifestyle factors like drinking and smoking, and/or being overweight or obese. But Hager says TidalHealth offers genetic testing to help those with a family history determine how at risk they are.

“If you want to proceed with genetic testing, we just collect a saliva sample here in the office,” Hager explained. “Typically, you’ll get results within a couple of weeks, and a provider will reach out to you and come up with a plan for screening and surveillance.”

For women facing an average risk of breast cancer, most doctors will recommend receiving a mammogram once a year. But for women considered very high risk, they are encouraged to meet one-on-one with a medical oncologist to talk about a risk reducing medication or chemotherapy prevention to help reduce risk.

To learn more about the services offered at the TidalHealth Breast Center, click here.