Breast cancer early
detection/screening
Importance of finding breast cancer early
The goal of screening exams for early breast cancer detection is to find cancers before they start to cause symptoms.
Screening
Tests and exams used to find a disease, such as cancer, in people who do not have any symptoms
Early detection
Using an approach that lets breast cancer get diagnosed earlier than otherwise might have occurred.
Importance of finding breast cancer early
Breast cancers that are found because they are causing symptoms tend to be larger and are more likely to have already spread beyond the breast.
In contrast, breast cancers found during screening exams are more likely to be smaller and still confined to the breast.
The size of a breast cancer and how far it has spread are some of the most important factors in predicting the prognosis (outlook) of a woman with this disease.
Most doctors feel that
“ Early detection tests for breast cancer save thousands of lives each year, and that many more lives could be saved if even more women and their healthcare providers took advantage of these tests”
“American Cancer Society” recommendation on
breast cancer screening
Yearly mammograms starting at age 40 and continuing for as long as a woman is in good health
Clinical breast exam (physical examination of the breast done by a doctor) every year for women 40 and over
Clinical breast exam about every 3 years for women in their 20s and 30s
“American Cancer Society” recommendation on
breast cancer screening
Women should know how their breasts normally look and feel and report any breast change promptly to doctor.
Breast self-exam is an option for women starting in their 20s
Some women – because of their family history, a genetic tendency or certain other factors should be screened with MRI in addition to mammograms.
X-ray of the breast
Diagnostic mammogram
To diagnose breast disease in women who have breast symptoms or an abnormal result on a screening mammogram
Screening mammograms
To look for breast disease in women who are asymptomatic; that is, those who appear to have no breast problems
Mammograms can often show a breast lump before it can be felt.
They also can show a cluster of tiny specks of calcium.
Lumps or specks can be from cancer, pre-cancerous cells or other conditions.
Screening mammograms usually take 2 views (X-ray pictures taken from different angles) of each breast
For certain women at high risk for breast cancer, screening MRI is recommended along with a yearly mammogram
MRI is not generally recommended as a screening tool by itself, because although it is a sensitive test, it may still miss some cancers that mammograms would detect.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
An examination of breasts by a health professional such as a doctor, nurse, or physician assistant.
The health professional will look at breasts for abnormalities in size or shape, or changes in the skin of the breasts or nipple.
Then, using the pads of the fingers, the examiner will gently feel (palpate) breasts.
Special attention will be given to the shape and texture of the breasts, location of any lumps, and whether such lumps are attached to the skin or to deeper tissues.
The area under both arms will also be examined.
It involves the woman herself looking at and feeling each breast for possible lumps, distortions or swelling.
Lie down on your back
Place your right arm behind your head
Use the finger pads of the 3 middle fingers of your left hand to feel for lumps in the right breast
Use overlapping dime-sized circular motions of the finger pads to feel the breast tissue
Move around the breast in an up and down pattern starting at an imaginary line drawn straight down your side from the underarm and moving across the breast to the middle of the chest bone
Be sure to check the entire breast area going down until you feel only ribs and up to the neck or collar bone
Repeat the exam on your left breast, putting your left arm behind your head and using the finger pads of your right hand to do the exam.
While standing in front of a mirror with your hands pressing firmly down on your hips, look at your breasts for any changes of size, shape, contour, dimpling, redness or scaliness of the nipple or breast skin.
Examine each underarm while sitting up or standing and with your arm slightly raised, so you can easily feel in this area
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