Patient Experience

Carol Bleeden

It was from a routine screening mammogram that Carol Bleeden learned the bad news that she had breast cancer.

Fortunately, her cancer was detected at an early stage. And the earlier cancer is detected, the more likely patients can be cured. Since her surgery at Loyola University Hospital, Carol has had no detectable signs of breast cancer. With 15 grandchildren, she is as active now as she was before her diagnosis.

"I have no idea where I would be if I hadn't had that mammogram," Carol said.

Screening mammograms look for tumors that are too small to be felt in women who have no symptoms. Diagnostic mammograms are given to women who have symptoms such as a lump or pain in the breast or suspicious changes in screening mammograms. Loyola encourages women ages 40 - 49 to get a screening mammogram every one - two years and annually after the age of 50.

At Loyola, all mammograms are digital and are read by doctors who specialize in only reading mammograms. These high-resolution computerized images can be adjusted for brightness, contrast or magnification for zooming in for improved close-up evaluation. Exam times are reduced by at least 50 percent because the patient does not need to wait for film to be developed and checked.

Carol also benefited from a genetic test offered at Loyola that indicated she would not need chemotherapy, as she initially feared. "That gave me a great sense of relief," she said.

The test examines 21 genes from a tumor sample to determine how active they are. For women with low scores, chemotherapy is not recommended. The test is FDA-approved for patients who have a type of breast cancer, called estrogen receptor-positive, that has not spread to lymph nodes. Loyola oncologist Kathy Albain, MD, conducted a pivotal study that found that the 21-gene test accurately predicts which patients need chemotherapy.

Make an appointment today. Loyola offers next-day digital screening mammogram appointments at convenient locations. To schedule a mammogram, call (888) LUHS-888.

For a list of locations, click here.