Breast Cancer screening
Early detection of breast cancer is very important. Most breast cancers that are found early and treated early are treated successfully. Encourage your friends and family to take charge of their breast health by following these breast cancer screening guidelines.American Cancer Society Screening Guidelines1. Yearly mammograms starting at age 40 and continuing for as long as a woman is in good health. 2. Clinical breast exams (CBE) should be part of a periodic health exam, about every three years for women in their 20s and 30s and every year for women 40 and over. 3. Women should know how their breasts normally feel and report any breast change promptly to their health care providers. Breast self-exam (BSE) is an option for women starting in their 20s. 4. Women at increased risk (greater than 20% lifetimes risk) should get an MRI and a mammogram every year. Women at moderately increased risk (15% to 20% lifetime risk) should talk with their doctors about the benefits and limitations of adding MRI screening to their yearly mammogram. Yearly MRI screening is not recommended for women whose lifetime risk of breast cancer is less than 15%. Risk FactorsBeing a woman and growing older are the two biggest risk factors for breast cancer. The longer you live, the higher your risk of breast cancer and many other things both bad and good. The chance of getting breast cancer over the course of a lifetime is 1 in 8, assuming you live to age 90. If you have already been diagnosed with breast cancer, your risk of developing it again is higher than if you have never had the disease. Family history of breast cancer can have a significant impact on risk, but not every case of breast cancer in your family means you are a high-risk candidate. Scientists at the National Cancer Institute have developed a Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool that you can obtain at http://cancer.gov/bcrisktool. A new tool, called the CARE model, has been found to be more accurate for African American women ages 50 to 79. The National Cancer Institute plans to have the tool updated by Spring 2008. If you have questions about your risk factors, or if you have been diagnosed and have questions about risk factors for your family, talk with your healthcare team. Women at high risk include those who:
Women at moderately increased risk include those who:
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Breast Cancer Screening for Young WomenBecause routine mammograms don’t begin until the age of 40, as a young woman your most critical screening tool is YOU! You need to know your breasts to evaluate changes from month to month. If you find something unusual for your body, go to your doctor immediately. Do not allow it to go unexamined. If the abnormality has been present for more than one menstrual cycle, insist on a mammogram or other diagnostic test. You also need to know your risk and your options. If breast cancer is prevalent in your family, talk to your doctor about increasing your surveillance and undergoing genetic testing. In general, women with a family history should get a baseline mammogram ten years before the earliest onset of breast cancer in their family or at the age of 35, whichever is earlier, according to the Young Survival Coalition. Also know that ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are two important diagnostic tools which can help obtain a more accurate image of young, dense breast tissue. Most importantly, do not allow anyone, even your doctor, to convince you that you are too young for breast cancer. Misdiagnoses and delayed diagnoses are prevalent in young women. Be your own biggest advocate and insist your concern be taken seriously or get a second opinion! Wendy Newman, diagnosed at 27, 5- year survivor, Founder, Young Empowered Survivors (YES!) |
