DVH offers free breast cancer class

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, Desert View Hospital will host a free class this week to educate the public on the signs and symptoms of breast cancer and the importance of receiving yearly mammograms after the age of 40.

According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, exceeded only by lung cancer. Recent studies have reportedly found 1 out of every 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.

Angela Losonsky, imaging director at Desert View Hospital, said with those kinds of statistics it is important for woman to understand the signs and symptoms of breast cancer and to become familiar with their own bodies in order to recognize when something is wrong.

“We are going to discuss breast care awareness, making sure that patients know the differences when something does arise in the breast, and this includes men as well, and the signs and symptoms of those issues,” she said about the upcoming awareness class. “Signs and symptoms will be a big topic, I think. I see a lot of patients who let things go for a couple of months when they really should have come in initially when they saw it. And the longer you wait, of course, the more at risk you are. So I think you need to know your body and if you see something irregular to get in to see your doctor as soon as possible and not wait. So we’ll be doing a lot of education on that. “

Some of the signs and symptoms the director said they will discuss in the class include any abnormalities in the breast tissue, discharge, or other lumps or bumps that a patient may not have previously felt in their breast tissue before.

In addition to the signs and symptoms, the class will also discuss recommendations for when to begin doing a breast exam with a physician and when to begin the process of going in for a yearly mammogram.

According to the American Cancer Society, women in their 20s and 30s should go in for a breast exam with their physician at least once every three years and begin going for a yearly mammogram starting at the age of 40.

Losonsky said women of any age can also do their own self-exams as well, which she recommends are done once a month to help women familiarize themselves with what is normal and what is not in their on their own bodies.

“The quicker you find it the better off you’re probably going to be in the long run. And mammograms go hand in hand with the self-exams. You want to do the self-exams monthly along with your annual mammogram,” she said.

When looking to schedule a yearly mammogram in the Pahrump area, Losonsky said she would like to remind the public that Desert View Hospital has the only digital mammography equipment in the area, which she says provides a clearer picture than other mammography machines.

In order to schedule a mammogram at the hospital, Losonsky said she would also like to remind patients they need to have a referral from their doctor first.

The Breast Cancer Awareness class will be held from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday at the hospital and is free and open to the public.

For more information about the class call the hospital at 775-751-7120 or to schedule a mammogram at the hospital call the Desert View Hospital Imaging Department at 775.751.7554