Improving Breast Health Access
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center is dedicated to making sure more people get up to date on their mammography screenings and to reducing the barriers to preventive care that women of color experience. We are committed to providing a safe and equitable space where all people have a fair and just opportunity to manage their overall breast health care.
Mammogram Van
The Fred Hutch Mammogram Van is a convenient option for people to get screened. The appointment only takes 15 minutes, and you do not need a referral for an annual screening mammogram. Our mammogram van goes to many locations in the Puget Sound area as well as surrounding areas.
Breast Cancer Screening
The Fred Hutch technologists and radiologists who do your screenings and read the results specialize in breast imaging. Our radiologists are certified by the American Board of Radiology. They have extra training in breast imaging and are better than the national standards.
Primary Care Appointments
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States. Even though white women are more likely to develop breast cancer, Black women are 40 percent more likely to die from it. Annual screening mammograms save lives by finding cancer early, when it is smaller and easier to treat. We recommend for overall health that you connect with a primary care physician.
Other Screening Programs
Colorectal Cancer Screening
The American Cancer Society recommends colorectal cancer screenings beginning at age 50 for people who have no known risk factors other than age. The frequency depends on the screening method.
Fred Hutch’s Gastrointestinal Cancer Prevention Program offers a personalized approach to risk assessment, screening and prevention for people at high risk for gastrointestinal cancers.
Lung Cancer Screening
Together, Fred Hutch and UW Medicine offer screening for people at high risk for lung cancer.
You may benefit from annual screening if all of these are true:
- You are between 50 and 80 years old.
- You currently smoke, or you quit in the last 15 years.
- You smoked an average of at least 1 pack a day for 20 years or 2 packs a day for 10 years.