Landmark Study Ends Mammography Controversy

PARSONS, Kan., Oct. 15, 2010-- A newly released study of deaths from breast cancer has effectively ended the controversy over whether women should begin regular mammography screenings at age 40 or wait until age 50. The new study, the largest ever conducted of women in their 40s, proves that annual mammography screenings reduce the breast cancer death rate by nearly 30 percent, according to Deb Smart, Labette Health’s director of radiology and laboratory services.

The issue arose a year ago, when the United States Preventive Services Task Force withdrew its support for screening women between the ages of 40 and 49, citing some studies that showed no difference in breast cancer deaths between those women and women who began screenings at age 50. The new larger study of real-life data, recently published online in the journal Cancer, followed 600,000 women for 16 years. It showed that the number of breast cancer deaths among women who did not receive mammograms was twice as high as those who underwent screening.

As far as Smart is concerned, there never was a real controversy.

“The task force recommendation and the studies on which it was based set us back 25 years in the fight against breast cancer. The whole point of mammogram screenings is to catch breast cancer early while it’s still treatable, rather than waiting until it has reached a more advanced stage and requires more invasive treatments, “ Smart said, noting that the American Cancer Society, the American College of Radiology and other groups support beginning mammography screenings at age 40.

“There are a number of risk factors that can have a big impact on whether and when women develop breast cancer. Why would you not want to know as early as possible?” she added.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide, killing some 465,000 people globally each year. Mammography, which uses low-dose X-rays to detect masses in the breast tissue, is the primary screening tool for detecting breast cancer. October is national breast-cancer awareness month.

Women's Imaging

to Open Oct. 29

PARSONS, Kan., Oct. 15, 2010-- Labette Health’s new Women’s Imaging Center will be unveiled during a public open house October 29. The new center is designed to bring together a collection of services for women in an area of the hospital that is convenient, comfortable and secure, said Deb Smart, who oversees the new unit.

“We have in-suite bathrooms, an education room and other amenities in an environment that doesn’t feel institutional. It’s designed around our customers’ comfort,” she said.

In addition to mammography screening equipment, the facility includes a new digital bone densitometer from GE Healthcare. The bone densitometer, known as a Dexa Scanner, is used to detect osteoporosis, a disorder in which progressive bone loss results in increased risk of fracture. The condition, which affects nearly half of all post-menopausal women, results in more than one million hip, spine and wrist fractures each year, Smart said.

Labette Health’s Mammography Department recently completed a thorough inspection by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Food and Drug Administration with absolutely no deficiencies, Smart noted, praising Linda Davis, R.T. (R,M), lead technologist-imaging and mammography; Monica Ong, R.T. (R,M), and Shannon Shears, R.T. (R, M), Mammography Department technologists; and radiologist Robert C. Gibbs, M.D., for their dedication to quality and service.

The open house, which will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., will feature tours of the new facility and include talks by Labette Health physicians, including Dr. Javine Horani, obstetrics and gynecology; Dr. Gibbs, radiology; Dr. Kelly Gorman, pediatrics; and others. A light lunch will be served.