HOW IS BREAST CANCER FOUND?
The term screening refers to tests and exams used to find a disease like cancer in people who do not have any symptoms. The earlier breast cancer is found, the better the chances that treatment will work. the goal is to find cancer before they start to cause symptoms. The size of the breast cancer an how far it has spread are most important factors in predicting the outlook for the patient. Most doctors feel that early detection tests for breast cancer save many thousands of lives each year. following the guidelines given here improves the chances that breast cancer can be found at an early stage and treated with success.
ACS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EARLY BREAST CANCER DETECTION
The ACS recommends the following guidelines for finding breast cancer early in women without symptoms:
Mammogram: Women age 40 and older should have a screening mammogram every year and should continue to do so for as long as they are in good health. While mammograms can miss some cancers, they are still very good way to find breast cancer.
Clinical breast exam: Woman in their 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam (CBE) as part of a regular exam by a health expert, at least every 3 years. After age 40, women should have a breast exam by a health expert every year. It might be a good idea to have a CBE shortly before the mammogram. You can use the exam to learn what your own breast feel like.
Breast self-exam (BSE): Bse plays a small role in finding breast cancer compared with finding a breast lump by chance or simply being aware of what is normal for each woman. If you decide to do BSE, you should have your doctor or nurse check your method to make sure your are doing it right. If you do BSE on a regular basis, you get to know how your breasts normally look and feel. Then you can more easily notice changes. But it's ok not to do BSE or not to do it on a regular schedule.
The goal, with or without BSE, is to see your doctor right away if you notice any of these changes; a lump or swelling, skin irritation or dimpling, nipple pain or the nipple turning inward, redness or scaliness of the nipple or breast skin, or a discharge other than breast milk. But remember that most of the time these breast changes are not cancer.
Women at high risk: Women with a higher risk of breast cancer should talk with their doctor about the best approach of them. This might mean starting mammograms when they are younger, having extra screening test, or having more frequent exams.
Mammograms
A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast. This test is used to look for breast disease in women who do not seem to have breast problems.
It an also be used when women have symptoms such as a lump, skin change, or nipple discharge.
During a mammogram, the breast is pressed between 2 plates to flatten and spread the tissue. The pressure lasts only a few seconds. Although this may cause some pain for a moment, it is needed to get a good picture. Very low levels or radiation are used. While many people are worried about exposure to x-rays, the low level of radiation used for mammograms does not increase the risk of breast cancer. To put dose into perspective, if a woman with breast cancer treated with radiation, she will get around 5,000 rads (a term used to measure radiation dose). If she had a mammogram every year from age 40 to age 90, she will have had 20 to 40 rads total.
For the mammogram, you undress above the waist. You will have a wrap to cover yourself. A technologist (most often a woman) will position your breast correctly for the test. The pressure lasts only a few seconds while the picture is taken. The whole procedure takes about 20 minutes. You should get your results within 30 days or even sooner.
About 1 in 10 women who get a mammogram will need more pictures taken.
But most of these women do not have breast cancer, so don't be alarmed if this happens to you. Only 2 to 4 of every 1,000 mammograms leads to a diagnosis of cancer.
Women with a higher risk of breast cancer should talk to their doctor about the best approach for them. They may benefit from starting mammograms when they ;are younger, having them more often, or having other test along with them. If you are at higher risk, your doctor might recommend and ultrasound or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) be done along with your mammograms.
Clinical breast exam
A clinical beast exam (CBE) is an exam of your breast by a health expert such as a doctor, nurse practitioner, nurse, or physician assistant. For this exam, you undress from the waist up. The examiner will first look at your breasts for changes in size or shape. Then using the pads of the fingers, she or he will gently feel your breast for lumps. The area under both arms will also be checked. This is a good time to learn how to do breast self-exam if you don't already know how.
Breast awareness and breast self-exam
Woman should be aware of how their breasts normally look and feel and report any changes to their doctor right away. Finding a change does not mean that you have cancer.
By being aware of how your own breasts look and feel, you are likely to notice any changes that might take place. You can also choose to use a step-by-step approach to checking your breast on a regular schedule. The best time to do breast self-examination (BSE) is when your breasts are not tender or swollen. If you find any changes, see your doctor right away.
Women with breast implants can do BSE. It may help to have the surgeon help identify the edges of the implant so that you know what you are feeling. It may be the implants push out the breast tissue and actually make it easier to examine.
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
For certain women at high risk for breast cancer, screening MRI is recommended along with a yearly mammogram. It is not generally recommended as a screening tool by itself as it may miss some cancers that mammograms would find.
The information you find on our site is for education only it does not take the place of you seeking medical help from a license professional if you have any signs of breast cancer or any other medical issues.