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Early detection is a significant piece of the breast cancer puzzle. Susan Cox, Renown Health Director of Cancer Operations, discusses what you need to watch for and how the latest technology can help detect potential cancer sooner. When should women start getting breast exams? It depends on risk factors: Average-risk women: Most medical organizations recommend the first mammogram between 40 and 44. Higher-risk women: Dependent on their high risk, which will dictate when they start screening, but generally around the age of 30 and not before 25 years old.

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In this article reprinted with permission from the Galena Times,  Dr. Max J Coppes, Physician-in-Chief, Renown Children’s Hospital, and Nell J. Redfield, Chair of Pediatrics, UNR Med, talk about adolescents vaping, and how an estimated additional 10 million teens are at risk to start using e-cigarettes. What are E-cigarettes? E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices heating a liquid (e-juice) into an aerosol to be inhaled. Breathing in this flavor vapor, which usually contains nicotine, anti-freeze or other cancer-causing chemicals is called ‘vaping.’  There are many forms of these electronic nicotine delivery devices - and they're not always obvious. They not only appear to be cigarettes, cigars, or pipes, but also pass for everyday items, such as flashlights, flash drives or pens.   The Effects of Vaping and E-cigarettes Regardless of the nicotine delivery, vaping is addictive and is quickly becoming a public health concern. Nicotine levels in e-cigarettes vary greatly, and they may also contain toxic chemicals. Currently there is a wide range of variability among vaping products. In other words - they deliver different ingredients, hardware, levels of nicotine, and possible toxic chemicals to the user. This makes it challenging to create an overall public health recommendation on their use. Nevertheless, there is no confusion about the harmful effects of the chemicals used in e-cigarettes to the young brain, which develops until age 25. Studies show e-cigarette use serves as an introductory product for teens to go on using ‘regular’ tobacco products. The American Academy of Pediatrics has several recommendations on their use. Such as increasing the minimum age to buy tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, to age 21 nationwide. (Update: nationwide the age as of January 2, 2020 is now 21.) A common misunderstanding with teenagers is the belief e-cigarettes are less harmful than other tobacco products. Moreover, there is a wide range of flavor choices, from mint, mango, crème brûlée to cucumber to attract users. As of September 6, 2019, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting over 450 possible cases of lung illness associated with the use of e-cigarette products in 33 states.    What Should Parents Know about Vaping? Parents and teachers should know JUUL is a very popular e-cigarette among teenagers, capturing about 68% of the market. JUUL is sleek, small, hides easily, and resembles a flash drive. Surprisingly it charges in an USB port, and can also instantly be mistaken for a real flash drive. One JUUL cartridge contains twice the nicotine found in other e-cigarette cartridges. This roughly equals the amount of nicotine in an entire pack of cigarettes. To repeat, the use of JUUL in young people continues to grow, and this is why parents and teachers need to be aware. Be alert, teach, communicate, and talk to your child about the serious risks of smoking in all forms, whether at home or parties. Tell them how difficult it is to quit and why they should not start. Loving your children is caring; caring for their current and future health and well-being.

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Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women in the U.S. That’s why early detection is so important. Dr. George Krakora, a radiologist with Renown Institute for Cancer, explains what to watch for and how new technology can lead to early detection. Most women know the importance of breast health and staying current with annual breast exams, but may not know that both screening guidelines and technology is evolving. So we asked George Krakora, MD, a radiologist for the Renown Institute for Cancer, what every woman should know about breast cancer detection and which screening method is right for them. First off, when should women start getting breast exams? Generally, women should start getting breast exams using mammography or ultrasound after they turn 40 years old. But we also want women ages 18 to 39 to talk to their primary care provider and ask for what’s called a formal risk assessment to see if screening is needed sooner. And you want to make sure your care provider is giving you a breast exam starting at age 25. It’s also a good idea to be familiar with how your breasts look and feel so you can report any changes to your care provider. What are the risk factors for breast cancer? Are there any preventive steps women can take? There a few risk factors you can’t control, like your age, family history of breast or other cancers, and if you have dense breast tissue. Your risk for breast cancer increases as you get older, and most breast cancers are diagnosed after age 50. Knowing your family history is important because a history of cancer and shared lifestyle can raise your risk. Your breast density can also increase your risk: Women with high breast density are four-to-five times more likely to get breast cancer than women with low breast density. But the good news is there are quite a few things you can do to prevent breast cancer, like not smoking, watching your alcohol intake, and maintaining a healthy weight with good diet and exercise. There are a lot of newer screenings out today. What is the difference between 2-D and 3-D mammography? In a 2-D mammogram, the tech takes X-rays of the breast. These pictures can show the radiologist if there are any lumps or tumors you might not be able to feel. In 3-D mammography, the process is largely the same but more X-rays are taken and it takes a few seconds longer for each image. This kind of exam detects 41 percent more cancers and reduces the number of false-positive results given to patients. This improvement in technology is great for both patients and their care providers. 3-D mammography provides better images of the breast, which allow doctors to more clearly diagnose and avoid false positives, especially in women with dense breast tissue. And what about a whole breast ultrasound. What is that? A whole breast ultrasound uses sound waves to detect cancerous tumors in the breast without using any radiation — it’s an ultrasound just like pregnant women get to check up on their baby. And the exam only takes about 20 minutes. We recommend these exams for patients whose mammograms have shown that they have dense breast tissue. Dense breast tissue can make it harder for doctors to see any abnormalities, lumps or tumors in a mammogram, so this technology ensures better early detection.

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