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Screening and Prevention of Breast Cancer

Women of all ages should know how their breasts normally look and feel. They should perform self-exams of their breasts regularly and report any changes to their health care provider.

Nurse with a patient performing a breast cancer screening

Who should be screened:

Women 40 and older should have a mammogram every year, following breast cancer recommended screening guidelines. Women at a higher risk should discuss beginning mammograms at a younger age with their health care provider.

Causes

What causes breast cancer?

Women at a higher risk for breast cancer:

  • Use alcohol and eat a high-fat diet
  • Are obese or overweight
  • Have never had children
  • Smoke and are exposed to secondhand smoke
  • Have used birth control within the past 10 years
  • Are older (two-thirds of breast cancer diagnoses occur in women 55 and older)
  • Have a family or personal history of breast cancer
  • Have gene defects or mutations
  • Are Caucasian and 45 years of age and older
  • Have dense breast tissue
Bring Your Brave.

Breast cancer in younger women

Can you be a risk for breast cancer at a younger age?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established Bring Your Brave to help women younger than age 45 to know their risk for breast cancer and get information about how to be proactive about breast health.

Visit the CDC

Nurse Navigators

Delaware nurse navigators can help you get screened for cancer.

Whether you have insurance or not, Delaware nurse navigators can help you get screened for cancer and provide follow-up help when you get your results. Choose from the list below to call a nurse navigator directly, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., or click the call request button to have a nurse navigator contact you.

A Nurse Navigator on the phone supporting a patient
We need your ZIP code so that we can send your request to the nurse navigator closest to you.

What’s the best time to call?

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