Breast cancer is the second most common cancer women face second only to lung cancer, however, is the most feared cancer or disease for most women. It occurs in about 12% of women will live to the age of 90 years. Several well established factors increase the risk of breast cancer and family history, nulliparity (not having children), early menarche (starting menstrual cycles early), advanced age and personal history of breast cancer. Other risks include exposure to environmental toxins such as smoke, snuff, which increase the possibility of cancer growth. October is Awareness Month breast cancer. The American Cancer Society has many activities this month to bring this to public attention.
Early education in breast self-examination and early detection is extremely important to get good results. Self-examination and medical examination to detect cancer at a rate of between 70 - 80%. Addition of screening mammography (mammograms) to increase detection from 96 to 98%. It has been shown that early detection through clinical examination and mammography can reduce breast cancer mortality by 20 to 30%. Today gold standard for screening (mammograms) will still lose between 10 and 15% of neoplasms.
Therefore, if a mass is clinically observed followed by a negative mammogram the work up should then include a breast ultrasound and / or a fine needle aspiration cytology and close interval examinations. The pattern of magnetic resonance imagine (MRI) is a method of breast examination is more sensitive to pick up small tumors in mammography. MRI is widely used in Europe but has failed in the U.S. yet. It is more expensive as a screening tool in the U.S., but since it is so widely used in Europe is actually cheaper there.
Early education in breast self-examination and early detection is extremely important to get good results. Self-examination and medical examination to detect cancer at a rate of between 70 - 80%. Addition of screening mammography (mammograms) to increase detection from 96 to 98%. It has been shown that early detection through clinical examination and mammography can reduce breast cancer mortality by 20 to 30%. Today gold standard for screening (mammograms) will still lose between 10 and 15% of neoplasms.
Therefore, if a mass is clinically observed followed by a negative mammogram the work up should then include a breast ultrasound and / or a fine needle aspiration cytology and close interval examinations. The pattern of magnetic resonance imagine (MRI) is a method of breast examination is more sensitive to pick up small tumors in mammography. MRI is widely used in Europe but has failed in the U.S. yet. It is more expensive as a screening tool in the U.S., but since it is so widely used in Europe is actually cheaper there.