FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — Breast cancer affects thousands of women every year.<\/p>\n
“One out of eight women has the chance of developing breast cancer in their lifetime, and, unfortunately, one out of 42 women will die from the disease,” says Dr. Christine Zhang.<\/p>\n
A chance to detect the illness early means a chance to survive.<\/p>\n
“The survival rate when breast cancer is detected early is quite substantial,” Dr. Zhang said. “Stage 1 breast cancer has a five-year survival rate of 93%.”<\/p>\n
While the survival rate is high and there are advancements in treatment, doctors are still seeing incidences of the disease.<\/p>\n
“A lot of women are still hesitant to come in for their screening mammography, partly because of how the imaging is done,” Dr. Zhang said. “A lot of women are also concerned about the discomfort.”<\/p>\n
Doctors add that the pandemic also played a role in women not getting screened.<\/p>\n
At the newly opened Kaiser Permanente Fresno Orchard Plaza Medical Offices, mammogram screenings are offered to patients.<\/p>\n
Dr. Zhang, a Medical Oncologist, says screenings usually begin at 40, but there are others with a higher risk.<\/p>\n
“Including women with a known family history of a BRCA gene mutation or a strong family history of breast cancer in first-degree and second-degree relatives, the recommended screen age is younger,” she said.<\/p>\n
Dr. Zhang says it’s also important for younger women to do self-exams at home.<\/p>\n
“We recommend self-exam in the shower or after the shower for women of all age groups,” she said.<\/p>\n
Health experts say if you see something unusual, see your doctor right away.<\/p>\n
They also urge you to remind the women in your life to ensure they receive their yearly mammogram screening.<\/p>\n
For news updates, follow Ana Torrea on Facebook<\/a>, X<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n Copyright \u00a9 2025 KFSN-TV. All Rights Reserved.<\/p>\n