Females have to discuss the risk of cancer to her doctor. They should ask when to start checkup and how often it should be. These decisions should be according to the needs of her. The earlier the diagnosis, the more effective the treatment. This is why screening is recommended before symptoms are observed.
*Mammography
*Clinical Breast Examination
*Breast Self-Examination
Mammography:
Mammography is specialized medical imaging that uses a low-dose x-ray system to see inside the breasts. A mammography exam, called a mammogram, aids in the early detection and diagnosis of breast diseases in women.Mammography plays a central part in early detection of breast cancers because it can show changes in the breast years before a patient or physician can feel them.
Mammography plays a central part in early detection of breast cancers because it can show changes in the breast years before a patient or physician can feel them. Current guidelines from the American College of Radiology (ACR) and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommend screening mammography every year for women, beginning at age 40.
In case of any abnormality, doctor may ask for other screening such as MRI, or biopsy.
Sometimes mammogram may not detect existing cancer. It is called “false-negative”.
Sometimes mammogram may detect a cancer which does not exist. It is called “false-positive”.
Some fast growing tumors may have been spread to other organs before getting diagnosed via mammography.
The radiation dose used in mammography is very low.
Clinical Breast Examination:
During a clinical breast exam, your doctor checks your breasts’ appearance. You may be asked to raise your arms over your head, let them hang by your sides, or press your hands against your hips. These postures allow your doctor to look for differences in size or shape between your breasts. The skin covering your breasts is checked for any rash, dimpling, or other abnormal signs. Your nipples may be checked to see if fluid is expressed when lightly squeezed.
Using the pads of the fingers, your doctor checks your entire breast, underarm, and around clavicula for any lumps or abnormalities. It is worth noting that some women have breast tissue that appears to be full of tiny fibrous bumps or ridges throughout the breast tissue, known as fibrocystic breasts. Overall lumpy tissue is something your doctor will want to note but is unrelated to cancer.
A suspicious lump the type your doctor is checking for is generally about the size of a pea before anyone can feel it in the breast tissue. The manual exam is done on one side and then the other. Your doctor will also check the lymph nodes near the breast to see if they are enlarged.
Clinical examination takes about 10 minutes.
Breast Self-Examination:
Although breast self-examination has not been shown to lower deaths from breast cancer, it is important for women to become familiar with their breasts so that they can be aware of any changes and report these to their doctor.
The best time to do a monthly self-breast exam is about 3 to 5 days after your period starts. Do it at the same time every month. Your breasts are not as tender or lumpy at this time in your monthly cycle. If you have gone through menopause, do your exam on the same day every month. It is easier to examine all breast tissue when lying down.