Angela Gucwa is a surgeon who will complete her fellowship in June of 2014. She currently focuses on vascular conditions, but in the past, she had a lot of experience and has done a lot of research on breast procedures. Because of this, Angela Gucwa has a keen interest in preventing breast cancer. One of the best ways to prevent breast cancer is for women who are over the age of 50 to get a mammogram at least once every other year.

"Prevention is worth an ounce of cure," Angela Gucwa says. "A mammogram is one of our strongest weapons in detecting and preventing breast cancer. Remember that if we can detect the presence of breast cancer early, the rates of survival and remission go up exponentially."

Currently, the recommended age to begin getting mammograms every two years is 50, but if you have a history of breast cancer in your family, it is recommended that you start screenings by the age of 40. The two biggest risk factors for breast cancer are age and family history. Unless there is a serious family history of breast cancer, it is generally not necessary to get a mammogram each year.

"While it is important to make sure that mammograms are done regularly, it is also important to make sure that one does not subject herself to too many medical procedures," Angela Gucwa says. "I would like to see more women balance their concerns about breast cancer with their comfort."

If no breast cancer is detected by the age of 74, the majority of doctors say that mammograms can be ceased at this point, as it is unlikely that breast cancer will develop. However, Angela Gucwa would like to remind everybody that it is important to take into consideration family history and your doctor's advice.

"Again, a significant family history of breast cancer may necessitate a longer period of screening," Angela Gucwa says. "Make sure to bring up your concerns to your doctor, so that he or she can recommend a satisfactory course of breast cancer prevention for you."

Angela Gucwa is a surgeon who is based out of Greenville, South Carolina.