Topics: Breast Center

Dr. Alison Chetlen, left, touches a patient’s arm as she positions her in front of a mammography machine. Chetlen is wearing a white coat with her name and “Radiology” on the upper-right.

The Medical Minute: What does it mean to have dense breasts?

Apr 30, 2025

Dense breasts contain more tissue than fat and can make breast cancer harder to detect. A Penn State Health breast imaging radiologist explains what other screening options may improve early detection.

A younger woman embraces a senior woman with her right arm.

The Medical Minute: Genetics play big role in ovarian cancer

Sep 11, 2024

Doctors can help prevent ovarian cancer, but historically the cost of preventative surgery has been menopause. A Penn State Health expert discusses why it’s worth it, and how medical technology is catching up with this insidious disease.

Reminder note in a scheduling book to schedule a mammogram.

The Medical Minute: Do you know your risks for breast cancer?

May 8, 2024

A woman of average risk should get her first mammogram at age 40. But how do you know your risk? A Penn State Health expert talks about what younger women can do.

Doris Shank stands in front of x-ray images of a breast.

Doris Shank: Without clinical trials ‘people like me would have no hope’

Jan 9, 2024

She is director of the Penn State Cancer Institute Clinical Trial Office. And she has benefited from that research.

A technician explains a mammogram to an adult woman patient. A mammogram machine is in the background.

The Medical Minute: Could that breast pain be cancer? When to get a mammogram

Jan 25, 2023

Pain in your breast means you better get a mammogram, right? Not always, says a Penn State Health radiologist, who sounds off on when it’s best to get your screening in this week’s Medical Minute.

The Medical Minute: What happens at a 3-D mammogram

Oct 20, 2022

It’s not your mom’s mammogram. Take a look inside a 3-D exam room in this week’s Medical Minute.

Doctor and patient with protective face masks during the medical examination

Legislation may help identify breast cancer earlier in certain at-risk women

Sep 8, 2021

Laws designed to help women with increased risk for missed breast cancer diagnoses may help catch the disease earlier, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers.

A doctor and a patient both wear protective face masks during a medical examination.

The Medical Minute: Mammograms and the COVID-19 vaccine

May 5, 2021

Some women who have gotten vaccinated for COVID-19 have noticed a startling development ― lumps that in the past might have meant cancer. But Penn State Health experts say that temporary swelling of the lymph nodes is normal and expected.

The photo shows the front of the Hershey Medical Center and College of Medicine crescent.

Amazon Alexa skill offers supportive care to breast cancer patients

Apr 27, 2021

Individuals with metastatic breast cancer could soon have access to personalized, supplemental supportive care through their smart speaker, thanks to new research at Penn State.

Doctor is working with mammography X-ray scanner in hospital

Surgery may offer survival advantage in treatment-responsive metastatic breast cancer

Dec 28, 2020

Surgery, in addition to treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy, may increase the length of survival for metastatic breast cancer patients.

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