Online Scheduling | Careers Home/About Us/Newsroom/Breast Cancer Screenings Should Not Be Delayed Due to COVID-19 Refine Results Awards & Accreditations Careers Community Benefits Contact Us History Newsroom E-Newsletter Sign Up 2020 News Releases 2019 News Releases 2018 News Releases 2017 News Releases 2016 News Releases 2015 News Releases 2014 News Releases Phone Directory Quality & Safety Volunteer Opportunities Directions Find Our Location Online Scheduling Free, convenient online check-in services. Learn More Sign Up For Our E-Newsletter Featuring a monthly dose of information and inspiration for living well. Learn More Patient Portal Access your medical information on demand. Learn More Breast Cancer Screenings Should Not Be Delayed Due to COVID-19 10/6/2021 Breast cancer and other medical illnesses remain a risk for women - even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, due to concerns about the virus, many women have postponed their annual screening mammograms, increasing their risk of undetected cancer. Flowers Hospital is encouraging women who may have delayed their mammograms to schedule the screening now, because when breast cancer is detected early, life-saving treatment can begin right away. “When screenings are delayed, diagnosis can be delayed, and treatment is delayed,” said radiologist Hugh Holloway, M.D., FACR. “But the best chance for survival of any cancer is early diagnosis and treatment. Women should not be afraid to get a mammogram. Many stringent safety precautions have been put in place in the Breast Health Center to protect everyone from COVID-19, so as a doctor, I’m telling you - if you’ve put off a mammogram, don’t put it off any longer.” Early Detection Saves Lives Nearly all breast cancers can be treated successfully if found early. The most effective way to detect breast cancer at an early, treatable stage is to have yearly mammograms. Since mammography became widely used in the 1980s, the U.S. breast cancer death rate in women has dropped 43 percent. Here in Alabama, 3,816 of new female breast cancer cases were reported in 2018, the most recent year data is available. The American College of Radiology (ACR) and Society of Breast Imaging (SBI) recommend that all women, particularly African American and those of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, should have a risk assessment at age 30 to see if a screening earlier than age 40 is needed. Women who were previously diagnosed with breast cancer are recommended to be screened with magnetic resonance imaging, an MRI. For women of average risk, the ACR and SBI recommend annual mammograms starting at age 40. Different guidelines apply to women at higher risk. A screening mammogram can help detect breast cancer in its earliest and most treatable stages. Safety Measures to Protect Against COVID-19 For the protection of patients and staff, Flowers Hospital’s Breast Health Center is pre-screening all patients for any COVID-19 symptoms, requiring staff and patients all wear masks, and cleaning commonly touched surfaces with greater frequency. To find a primary care doctor or OB/GYN, visit the “Find a Doctor” link at the top of this page, or connect with a Flowers Medical Group primary care provider at www.FlowersMedicalGroup.com. Mammograms can be scheduled by calling (334) 615-8480. About Flowers Hospital’s Breast Health Center Flowers Hospital’s Breast Health Center is accredited by the American College of Radiology and has been designated as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence. The Breast Health Center specializes in 3D mammography, breast ultrasound, breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and stereotactic biopsy. The staff in the Breast Health Center is committed to providing compassionate care and strives to be a resource for patients by offering support, comfort, and education. Back Flowers Hospital 4370 W Main St Dothan, AL 36305 (334) 793-5000 Connect with us on Facebook ADA Accessibility Policy Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Notice of Privacy Practices Patient Rights & Responsibilities © Copyright 2021 . All rights reserved. Notice of Nondiscrimination English, አማርኛ, العربية, বাংলা, ျမန္မာဘာသာ, tsalagi gawonihisdi, 繁體中文, Chahta, Oroomiffa, Nederlands, Français, Kreyòl Ayisyen, Deutsch, ગુજરાતી, हिंदी, Hmoob, Igbo asusu, Ilokano, Italiano, 日本語, 한국어, Ɓàsɔ́ɔ̀‑wùɖù‑po‑nyɔ̀, ພາສາລາວ, Kajin Ṃajōḷ, ខ្មែរ, Diné Bizaad, नेपाली, Deitsch, فارسی, Polski, Português, ਪੰਜਾਬੀ, Română, Русский, Gagana fa'a Sāmoa, Srpsko‑hrvatski, Español, ܣܘܼܪܸܬ݂, Tagalog, ภาษาไทย, Türkçe, Українська, اُردُو, Tiếng Việt, èdè Yorùbá