Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- Sheri Wiseman, a Utah breast cancer survivor, urges women to get screened.
- Utah lags in breast cancer testing, with 63.8% of women screened recently.
- Mobile mammography units improve access, crucial for early detection and treatment.
CEDAR CITY — When Sheri Wiseman got her annual mammogram last March, she received unexpected news.
"She said, 'That looks like a lump to me.' And I said, 'No, I don't think so,'" Wiseman recalled. "Then they sent me for an ultrasound and biopsy, and come to find out it was breast cancer."
After a lumpectomy, which determined she had HER2-positive cancer, the 51-year-old had 12 rounds of chemo and 25 rounds of radiation.
"I think mentally it's hard as it was physically, at least it was for me," she said. "It takes a toll."
But she battled through.
Wiseman, a mother of four and grandmother of three, is now cancer-free and is grateful she was proactive in getting tested when she did — before the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes.
"If I would've waited even six months, who knows? It could have been a different story," she said.
According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. It's the most common type of cancer in women, except for skin cancer. Risk factors include age, family history of breast cancer, genetics, high breast density and gender, since breast cancer is more common in women than in men.
"Catching them early is critical. There's a huge difference in outcomes and ability to treat early-stage versus later-stage disease," said Dr. Bryce Perkins, a hematologist oncology specialist at Intermountain Cancer Center in Cedar City.
Perkins said mammography screening is the best way to detect cancer early. Research shows mammograms — low-dose X-rays of the breast — can correctly identify over 85% of breast cancer in women, though it is possible false positives can occur.
Utah is falling behind in breast cancer testing — in the last two years, 63.8% of Utah women had a mammogram, compared with 68.2% of women nationwide.
"We're the best at a lot of things in Utah. Breast cancer screening is not one of them," Perkins said. "I think it's an access issue. If we can't get to screening, it's hard to do screening."
That's where mobile mammography comes in.
Wiseman's cancer was found thanks to one of Intermountain Health's mobile mammography units that came to her hometown of Milford, saving her hours of travel time. The units go to various parts of Utah, providing easy access to care.
"Even though it's not the most fun thing to do sometimes, it's probably something that you need to put on your priority list, for sure," she said. "Definitely carve out that little bit of time for yourself."
Experts recommend women get regular mammogram screening beginning at age 40, or earlier if you have a family history of breast cancer.
Intermountain Health has two mobile mammography units: one in northern Utah and one in southern Utah. Those in northern Utah can request a mobile mammogram or schedule the unit to come to your business by visiting intermountainhealth.org/mobilemammo or by calling 1-833-MAMMOGO (1-833-626-6646). To schedule an appointment for the southern Utah mobile mammogram unit, call 1-435-676-1547.
