Thursday, September 24, 2020

Geisinger Offers Free Telephone Assessments for Breast Cancer Risk

Geisinger is making high-risk breast cancer screenings more convenient for the community by offering assessments through a phone call during a free, all-day event on Saturday, Oct. 17.

 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.

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

“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.”

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.