STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Doctors in New York City are reporting a rise in the number of patients discovering their breast cancer in later, more dangerous stages, largely due to postponing mammograms during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“What we’re seeing is patients coming in at more advanced stages, when the overall survival rate is lower,’’ said Dr. Michael Zeidman, director of breast cancer surgery at Mount Sinai Brooklyn. “I’m even seeing patients presenting to me in Stage 4. These women have a five-year survival rate of less than 30%.’’
A mammogram is an X-ray picture of the breast used by doctors to detect early signs of breast cancer. Regular mammograms are the best tests doctors have to find breast cancer early, sometimes up to three years before it can be felt, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
When the pandemic began, most hospitals stopped performing diagnostic tests like mammograms and colonoscopies for several weeks to free up space to care for COVID-19 patients and to allow for safety protocols to be put into place. Yet, most hospitals were providing these services by August 2020.
“It was safe to come in, but there was still a general hesitance,’’ said Zeidman, who sees patients at Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton and is also an assistant professor of surgery and the Icon School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
When to get a mammogram
Women with average risk of breast cancer should start getting mammograms between the ages of 40 and 49, after speaking with their primary care physician about their family and medical history, according to the CDC.
After age 50, the CDC, the American Cancer Society and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists all recommend screening either annually or every two years, depending on individual risk.
After age 55, women can have them every two years, unless individual risk factors exist.
Mammograms don’t cure cancer, but their timeliness is critical, these doctors and agencies say.
“The reason mammograms save lives is because they allow us to catch it before it gets to a later stage,’’ said Zeidman. “It’s not the cancer in the breast that kills them, it kills if it spreads to another part of the body.’’
Patients who wait until they have symptoms before seeing a doctor are taking a risk, he said.
“If you wait until you are symptomatic from breast cancer, it’s not going to be in an early stage anymore,’’ Zeidman said, urging women to schedule their mammograms and stressing that it is safe to do so.
One representative institution in New York City saw a 77% drop in screenings, said Zeidman, who treats patients in three boroughs, noting that Mount Sinai is currently working on a study on its own precise drop.
As far as New York City drops go, “I’m sure they’re going to see significant numbers,’’ he said.
Breast cancer survival rates vary greatly, depending upon the stage at which the disease is diagnosed, Zeidman said.
Feel a lump? That could possibly still be Stage 1, with a survival rate of close to 100%, but anything over two centimeters in size is no longer Stage 1, he said.
“Anything that’s traveled to the lymph nodes is no longer Stage 1,’’ he said. “And, unfortunately, sometimes I see very small tumors that have traveled to the lymph nodes.’’
Despite the availability and safety of mammography, some women still avoid testing out of fear of receiving bad news.
“I see this all the time, and it’s so unfortunate,’’ Zeidman said. “It’s very heartbreaking, and we’re seeing more and more of this. We’re not going to be able to save every woman. But we could save many more lives if women went for their mammograms. It’s astounding.’’
Where to go on Staten Island
Mammograms are available at the Breast and Women’s Center of Richmond University Medical Center, 1161 Victory Blvd. The facility can be reached at 718-818-1161.
At Staten Island University Hospital, the Breast Imaging Center is located at 265 Mason Ave., First Floor B. The facility can be reached at 718-226-1333.
The CDC offers these tips for getting a mammogram:
Try not to have your mammogram the week before you get your period or during your period. Your breasts may be tender or swollen then.
On the day of your mammogram, don’t wear deodorant, perfume or powder. These products can show up as white spots on the X-ray.
You will need to undress from your waist up for the test.
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Skip your mammogram because of the pandemic? Breast cancer won’t wait, NYC doctor warns. - SILive.com
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