Breast Health
Normal breast health and preventative care

Routine care is the best way to keep you and your breasts healthy. Although detecting breast cancer in its earliest stages is the main goal of routine breast care, other benign conditions, such as fibrocystic breasts or cysts, are often discovered during routine care.

It is estimated that nine out of ten women have benign (non-cancerous) breast conditions in their lifetime; one in seven will be diagnosed with breast cancer.

In order to assure detection of any condition as early as possible, Salem Hospital highly recommends our patients:

• Practice the Breast Health: Three-Step Plan for Preventive Care:  self-breast exam, clinical examination and mammography
     
• Be informed about normal breast development and health practices:
  • Anatomy of the Breasts
  • Normal Breast Development
  • Breast Cancer Detection and Mammography
       
• Be familiar with common breast conditions and the signs and symptoms to look for:
  • Common Breast Conditions
  • Signs and Symptoms of Cancer
       
• If you are a health practitioner, your organization provides breast health information and services, or you would just like to be more involved in your breast health, learn more about our MammaCare Project, a proven approach for physical examination of the breast.
     
• Are you at high risk for breast cancer? This is important to know as you may need to take extra precaution in your breast health.  Learn more about the guidance and procedures Salem Hospital provides for high-risk patients.
     
• If you have a family history of breast cancer or are worried about your breast health, talk to your doctor.