Addressing Breast Exam Fears

“What if they find something?”

That’s one of the questions Bernilda Quinones, Breast Health Outreach Coordinator for Breast Care Connection at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJ), says she hears most from women when they talk about mammograms.

And it’s one of the more common reasons why they’ll avoid a potentially life-saving exam.

“A lot of women are fearful. In our experience in and around New Brunswick, that includes many minorities such as Latino/Hispanic and African American women,” she adds. “I assure you that if there is anything ‘wrong,’ you want to know as early as possible. The sooner you address the issue, the better the odds for a favorable outcome.”

Sometimes the issue isn’t fear. Sometimes the issue is time, says Mariam Merced, director of the Community Health Promotion Program at RWJ. “Women are working; taking care of their husband, their children and their families; doing laundry; running around doing errands. They don’t make time to take care of themselves,” she says. “Except you can’t do all of those things and do them well if you’re sick.”

Preventing illness starts with being aware and with early detection.
It's a message seen and heard everywhere during Breast Cancer Awareness Month and one that is important to recognize throughout the year.

“I recently met a Dominican woman who postponed, for years, getting a mammogram because her circle of friends talked about how uncomfortable - even painful - they felt the breast exam was, so she got intimidated,” Merced says. “Then a friend was diagnosed with breast cancer and died. So she finally came out for a screening. She was anxious going into it. Afterwards, she said it wasn’t bad at all. She couldn’t believe she wasted all that time avoiding the exam!”

It’s important to start getting mammograms starting at age 40, says Lynn Lutwin, RN, director of the Breast Care Connection program at RWJ. “You want to have a baseline, and sometimes the only way to detect a problem is through a mammogram, which can help us see microcalcifications and lesions while they’re very small, before they become something to worry about.”
A lot can change from year to year, so Lutwin recommends regular mammograms.

Are they uncomfortable? “There may be some discomfort, but it takes such a short time to complete the exam. Compression of the breast for each view is not even a minute, and if the mammographer does the normal number of views, the exam can be over in approximately five to ten minutes,” Lutwin explains. “The benefits of making sure we’re healthy and find anything in time far outweigh a few minutes of potential discomfort.”

Language barriers, family and financial support, lack of health literacy and access to care remain obstacles for many, but there are resources available.

 “There is funding through Susan G. Komen, a foundation dedicated to education and research about causes, treatment, and the search for a cure, and other organizations for women to get routine mammograms done. Many providers, including Breast Care Connection, can help patients who speak another language. And there are resources and services for women of different ethnic groups, age and socioeconomic status who have no insurance or are underinsured. There are resources for those diagnosed with breast cancer,” Lutwin says. “Don’t allow physical, financial, social or other fears to keep you from protecting your health.”

For more information about Breast Care Connection, please call (732) 253-3928. For more information about community resources, contact RWJ Community Health Promotion Program at (732) 247-2050.