Breast Cancer Awareness

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is the officially recognized month for breast cancer awareness, but it is important to be aware of the risks of breast cancer and the benefits of early screening and diagnosis. Schedule your appointment today.

According to the CDC, “Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women. Getting mammograms regularly can lower the risk of dying from breast cancer. The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends that if you are 50 to 74 years old, be sure to have a screening mammogram every two years. If you are 40 to 49 years old, talk to your doctor about when to start and how often to get a screening mammogram.”

Oakland Medical Center can direct you to mammography services and can help you understand the risks, especially if a close family member of yours had breast or ovarian cancer.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “About 1 in 8 women born today in the United States will get breast cancer at some point.”

It’s better to be safe than sorry.

The CDC reports that “Each year in the United States, about 220,000 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in women and about 2,000 in men. About 40,000 women and 400 men in the U.S. die each year from breast cancer.”

Schedule your appointment today.

Flu Shot

Oakland Medical Center can help you with a vaccination to protect against the flu this season. We offer quick and easy walk-ins with no appointments needed!

Flu shots are especially important for people over 65 and those with immune system deficiencies. Call us today for more information on the Quadrivalent flu shot that protects against the four most common strains of the flu virus: H1N1, H3N2, B Victoria and B Yamagata.

We prescribe the 450/477 Fluzone Quadrivalent vaccination for persons under 65 years of age to prevent type A and type B influenza.

For persons over 65 years of age, we prescribe the 374 Fluzone High-Dose vaccine to protect against influenza type A and type B.

According to the CDC:

“Influenza is a serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Every flu season is different, and influenza infection can affect people differently. Even healthy people can get very sick from the flu and spread it to others. Over a period of 31 seasons between 1976 and 2007, estimates of flu-associated deaths in the United States range from a low of about 3,000 to a high of about 49,000 people. During recent flu seasons, between 80% and 90% of flu related deaths have occurred in people 65 years and older. “Flu season” in the United States can begin as early as October and last as late as May.

During this time, flu viruses are circulating at higher levels in the U.S. population. An annual seasonal flu vaccine (either the flu shot or the nasal spray flu vaccine) is the best way to reduce the chances that you will get seasonal flu and spread it to others. When more people get vaccinated against the flu, less flu can spread through that community.”