Men and women need to take an active role in detecting and preventing breast cancer, according to two area health experts. 

In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness month, Patch caught up with Beverly A. Feragotti, manager of Women’s Health Services and Wound Care at UPMC Heritage Valley, and Dr. Mark Schnurer, a physician at the Heritage Valley Cancer Center in Moon, to find out more about breast cancer treatment and prevention. 

The Women’s Health Services at Heritage Valley performed 31,419 breast procedures in 2009, the most recent year for which statistics are available. The center is one of 14 Breast Centers of Excellence in Pennsylvania.  

How old should a woman be when she gets her first mammogram? 35-40. 

How frequently should mammograms be performed? Annually.

How frequently should she check to see if lumps have developed? Breast self-exams should be performed monthly. 

If a woman feels a lump in her breast, what should she do? Contact your physicians for a clinical breast exam.

If breast cancer is detected, what are some treatment options?The treatment for breast cancer varies depending on the type and stage of the cancer. Heritage Valley has cancer treatment centers – the UPMC/Heritage Valley Cancer Centers at the Heritage Valley Beaver campus in Moon Township, according to Schnurer.

Have you treated men and women diagnosed with breast cancer? Yes, according to Schnurer. 

What causes breast cancer? The cause is unknown, according to Schnurer.