Be Proactive: Women encouraged to keep annual exams
Work. Chores. Families. In a normal year, they can pile up. Add in a pandemic and it's easy to start missing engagements.
Unfortunately for many people, that includes annual checkups and screenings.
“It's important for women to remember to take care of themselves,” said Dr. Robin Sobolewski, division director for breast imaging with Allegheny Health Network. “Cancer's not putting itself on hold for the pandemic.”
Sobolewski said most breast cancer patients who have completed their treatments have an annual mammogram to continue screening for cancer.
In a normal year, these 20-minute appointments aren't too difficult to schedule.
Breast imagery specialists can conduct either 2D mammograms (which capture the breast from two angles) or 3D mammograms (which show each layer of breast tissue).
These tests are covered by most insurances, according to Sobolewski.
The problem is “normal” has been interrupted by COVID-19. This was particularly a problem from March to May.“We stopped all ... routine screening,” Sobolewski said.While AHN was — and is — still seeing patients with breast cancer symptoms, operating with pandemic precautions in place cut down on the number of patients specialists could see at a time.AHN was not alone in their protective measures. Other area hospitals also saw these measures take place.UPMC Hillman Center's Dr. Rushir J. Choksi, leads the oncology team for Butler Health System's partnership with the center. He said he and others in the field have seen a number of cancer cases increasing, especially in breast and colon cancers.“Our new cancer patients numbers are increasing right now,” Choksi said. “We're higher than pre-COVID levels because screenings were delayed.”Left unchecked, some cancers, including breast cancers, can grow rapidly without intervention.According to the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer is the second-most diagnosed cancer annually behind skin cancer, meaning many women and some men are at risk.The consensus is also clear that quicker intervention leads to better and more treatment options.“We want the highest cure rate for our patients,” Choksi said. “We would rather not give chemotherapy to our patients as well.'
Taking parameters for social distancing, extra sanitizing and masking changed how doctors and patients met.“That obviously decreased the number of appointments we could do in a day,” Sobolewski said.The solution? Extended hours, staggered appointment times and even weekend scheduling. AHN is back to operating fully, with its breast imaging scheduled maxed out.These procedures are also being practiced by smaller hospitals, like ACMH, according to Jackie Guerriero, a ACMH breast surgeon.Additionally, ACMH, like all of the hospitals in the region, has maintained a modicum of COVID protocols despite the loosening of other restrictions and the reopening of electoral procedures.“It's safe now. We're taking all the proper precautions to make sure people feel safe,” Guerriero said.Of course, there are things that people can do at home to stay on top of changes in breast tissue. Regular self-breast examinations can reveal lumps. Pain is also another indicator of a developing breast condition.But at-home exams do not replace doctor visits, according to experts.
Sobolewski said women age 40 and older should stick to an annual mammogram appointment.“We need a doctor there,” Sobolewski said. “We still need to see patients.”Despite the new prevalence of telemedicine, symptoms, especially lumps, need to be assessed in-person for the most accurate diagnosis.“We can't do everything over telehealth,” Choksi said.Guerriero said now more than ever, women need to find time for screenings, and she encourages patients to make a day of it.“A think a lot of times, women juggle a lot of different things, and they don't take the time to take care of themselves,” she said.She said patients should try to envelope their screenings with fun or enjoyable activities and hobbies to take away the stress and abate any anxiety.“Treat yourself after your mammogram,” she said. “Just take the day for yourself.”All the experts agree that although October is a special month in terms of breast cancer, like the pandemic, cancer isn't contained to one month.They said screenings and getting suspicious places checked need to be a priority for women that supersedes that of worry over COVID-19.“They should not delay,” Sobolewski said. “They should reach out.”<i>Eagle Staff Writer Nathan Bottiger contributed to this report.</i>
