{"id":6551,"date":"2026-06-05T22:20:38","date_gmt":"2026-06-06T05:20:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vailhealth.org\/?p=6551"},"modified":"2026-06-07T15:37:59","modified_gmt":"2026-06-07T22:37:59","slug":"what-every-woman-needs-to-know-about-breast-cancer-expert-insights-from-vail-health-shaw-cancer-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vailhealth.org\/es\/news\/what-every-woman-needs-to-know-about-breast-cancer-expert-insights-from-vail-health-shaw-cancer-center\/","title":{"rendered":"What Every Woman Needs to Know About Breast Cancer: Expert Insights\u00a0From\u00a0Vail Health Shaw Cancer Center\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Specialists from Vail Health and Vail Health Shaw Cancer Center break down what every woman should understand about breast cancer screening, risk, treatment and survivorship and share their most important insights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Should You Start Screening?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Waiting until age 50 to get your first mammogram could put you at risk. Dr. Stephanie Miller<\/a>, breast surgeon and medical director of breast surgery\u202fat Vail Health, underscored the consensus among breast health experts: \u201cStarting screening mammography at age 40 and doing it yearly is going to save the most lives. We all agree about that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women, one in eight\u202fwill develop it in their lifetime. Annual screening beginning at 40 reduces breast cancer deaths by roughly\u202f40%, compared to 31-32% starting at 45 or screening every other year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understanding Your Personal Risk<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Beyond Family History: <\/strong>A widespread misconception is that breast cancer mostly affects women with a family history. In reality, most women diagnosed have\u202fno\u202fknown genetic mutation or family link. \u201cUnfortunately, even if you don’t have a family history, you don’t have a gene mutation, we\u2019re all at risk,\u201d said Dr. Miller. The biggest risk factors? Being female and getting older.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dense Breast Discovery: <\/strong>Breast density is one of the least understood aspects of breast health. Dr. Kelly D\u2019Amico<\/a>, breast radiologist and medical director of breast imaging at the Sonnenalp Breast Care Center, emphasized that density is\u202fnot\u202fsomething women can feel. \u201cBreast density is an imaging finding,\u201d she explained. About\u202f40% of women over age 40\u202fhave dense breasts. Dense tissue increases cancer risk, and makes cancer harder to detect on mammograms. Women with\u202fextremely dense\u202fbreasts have about\u202ftwice the risk\u202fof developing breast cancer compared to those with average density. New FDA regulations now require all mammogram reports to list breast density, giving women essential information to discuss supplemental screening options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

High-Risk Screening:<\/strong> Some women benefit from enhanced surveillance. Katie Jones, nurse practitioner for oncology and palliative care at Shaw, uses validated risk assessment models to determine who qualifies for the High Risk Cancer Program. \u201cWe use evidence-based models to plug all those factors in and help us predict what that risk score is,\u201d Jones said. Women identified as high-risk may start MRI screening as early as\u202fage 25\u202fand mammography at\u202fage 30, which is earlier than average risk woman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Cancer Is Diagnosed: You Have More Options Than You Think<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Treatment Decision:<\/strong> Most women diagnosed with breast cancer have choices, including lumpectomy plus radiation or mastectomy. \u201cThe ultimate truth is that our breasts don\u2019t control how long we live. It\u2019s how the cancer behaves in the rest of our body,\u201d said Dr. Miller. \u201cMost of the time women have a choice.\u201d Studies show both approaches offer\u202fequivalent survival, allowing women to make decisions aligned with personal values rather than fear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Personalized Medicine Revolution:<\/strong> Breast cancer care today looks dramatically different from a decade ago. Tumors are now categorized by receptor status, estrogen receptor\u2013positive, HER2-positive or triple-negative, enabling physicians to tailor treatment. \u201cWe can give more individualized care based on the specific type of breast cancer that they have,\u201d said Dr. Miller.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Research Advantage:<\/strong> Shaw Cancer Center also provides access to cutting-edge clinical trials. Paige Bordelon, who oversees research, shared that the center runs roughly\u202f20 active trials\u202fat any given time. An impressive\u202f30-40%\u202fof Shaw patients participate, contributing to scientific progress while gaining access to innovative therapies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What You Can Do Today: Practical Prevention Steps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Alcohol Question:<\/strong> When it comes to modifiable risk factors, alcohol stands out. \u201cUnfortunately, a byproduct of alcohol is thought to be a carcinogen,\u201d Dr. Miller explained. \u201cIt’s not the sugar in the alcohol, but carcinogen is a byproduct of what occurs when our body breaks down alcohol when we consume it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recommended guidelines for women:<\/p>\n\n\n\n