Proper Screening for Early Detection of Breast Cancer

Sep 28
08:01

2011

Keith Bussey

Keith Bussey

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There is no particular outward signs of breast cancer that you can see or touch. The most common signs include a lump, an area of thickening or a small pimple in the breast. Swelling and redness are some less common signs in woman.

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Often there are no outward signs of breast cancer that you can see or feel. If there are outward signs,Proper Screening for Early Detection of Breast Cancer Articles the more common ones include a lump, an area of thickening, or a dimple in the breast. Less common signs include breast swelling and redness or an enlarged underarm lymph node.

However, even if you have one or more of these signs, it still doesn't mean you have breast cancer. Remember that most breast lumps turn out to be benign (not cancerous).

Still, it is extremely important that you SEE YOUR DOCTOR RIGHT AWAY if you are worried that you might have breast cancer. Having your doctor take a look will ease your worry, and if anything is found, you'll be able to take care of it quickly.

Physical examination of the breast is one way to find breast cancer. You should perform a personal breast exam every month on yourself, preferably after you have finished your monthly menstrual cycle. You should also have yearly breast exams performed by your doctor during your routine physical exam. Lastly, you should have a yearly mammogram starting at the age of 40. You can have a single baseline mammogram between the ages of 35-40. If you have a strong family history of breast cancer however, you will likely need to start the screening process at an earlier age. You should talk to your doctor about what the appropriate age would be for your circumstance. You can read about other screening methods for detecting breast cancer in our Screening & Testing section.

There is a whole world of testing that goes along with taking care of your breasts. And, although medical tests can be nerve-wracking — especially when it comes to waiting for results — they are essential in keeping your breasts healthy and getting you proper care if you develop breast cancer.

In this section, you’ll learn about the different types of breast cancer tests, such as mammograms, breast MRI, and biopsy. You can learn about getting your test results and keeping track of your medical records. Also featured are the pros and cons of genetic testing and what those results might mean for you.

Breast cancer and medical tests go hand in hand, whether you have been recently diagnosed, are in the midst of treatment and follow-up, or simply want to increase your odds of early detection.

Most breast-cancer-related tests fall into one or more of the following categories:

• Screening tests: Screening tests (such as yearly mammograms) are given routinely to people who appear to be healthy and are not suspected of having breast cancer. Their purpose is to find breast cancer early, before any symptoms can develop and the cancer usually is easier to treat.

• Diagnostic tests: Diagnostic tests (such as biopsy) are given to people who are suspected of having breast cancer, either because of symptoms they may be experiencing or a screening test result. These tests are used to determine whether or not breast cancer is present and, if so, whether or not it has traveled outside the breast. Diagnostic tests also are used to gather more information about the cancer to guide decisions about treatment.

• Monitoring tests: Once breast cancer is diagnosed, many tests are used during and after treatment to monitor how well therapies are working. Monitoring tests also may be used to check for any signs of recurrence.