A patient is prepared for a mammogram in this file photo. At a time when COVID-19 is making access to health care more challenging for everyone, Geisinger has a program during Breast Cancer Awareness month to make high-risk screenings more convenient for the community. A free, all-day event on Saturday, Oct. 17, will provide assessments via phone call.
                                 File photo

A patient is prepared for a mammogram in this file photo. At a time when COVID-19 is making access to health care more challenging for everyone, Geisinger has a program during Breast Cancer Awareness month to make high-risk screenings more convenient for the community. A free, all-day event on Saturday, Oct. 17, will provide assessments via phone call.

File photo

Registration required for Oct. 17 screening consultation

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At a time when COVID-19 is making access to health care more challenging for everyone, Geisinger has a program during Breast Cancer Awareness month to make high-risk screenings more convenient for the community.

A free, all-day event on Saturday, Oct. 17, will provide assessments via phone call.

It was not specifically designed for the COVID-19 pandemic — although it certainly helps — but was intended as another avenue for patients and providers to have necessary conversations, Geisinger officials say.

Those who register for the event will have a one-on-one breast cancer screening call with a Geisinger provider to discuss their individual risk factors, health options and follow-up care, if needed, officials said.

During the 15-minute phone appointments, a member of the Geisinger care team will complete an assessment with the participants to determine their level of risk for breast cancer.

The assessment event will be open to all women ages 18 and older who are concerned about their breast health.

“Routine breast cancer screenings are important for all women, but even more so for those at higher-than-average risk,” said Dr. Jacqueline Oxenberg, Geisinger surgical oncologist. “While we’re all dealing with the uncertainty of COVID-19, cancer occurrence is not stopping, and neither should cancer screenings and regular health checks. This event is making it easier for our community to continue these important health discussions. While these telephone screenings are a valuable piece of the breast health puzzle, they do not replace yearly mammograms.”

On average, one in eight U.S. women will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives, statistics show.

At the same time, advances in treatment — coupled with the increase screenings thanks to awareness fostered by events such as Breast Cancer Awareness Month each October — have resulted in higher survival rates.

As Dr. Alfred Casale, a Geisinger surgeon and health columnist for the Times Leader has pointed out, the American Cancer Society reports the breast cancer death rate declined by 1.8% per year from 2007 to 2016, when only 20% of patients lost their battles.

And yet, the society estimated nearly 42,000 women died of the disease last year.

What happens next

After the phone call with the Geisinger team, participants will receive information on their results and additional resources or follow-up actions, if necessary. The care team can set up an appointment for an in-person evaluation if the clinician has determined there’s a risk.

Geisinger offers a multidisciplinary team of specialists — including oncologists, radiologists, surgeons, geneticists, integrative medicine specialists and behavioral health counselors — to care for patients with breast cancer.

Appointments are limited during the Oct. 17 event, and registration is required. To schedule your time slot for this event, visit geisinger.org/breast-screenings.