Four for October: The four keys for early breast cancer detection (8-page version)
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
It’s time to get serious about this all-too-common disease. Indeed, as an American woman, you have a 12 percent chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer. In fact, every three minutes in the United States, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer.
The good news is that, primarily because of advances in early detection and treatment, we are winning the fight against breast cancer. Since 1990, the death rate from breast cancer has fallen about two percent a year! Early detection is critical. According to the American Cancer Society, when diagnosed at its earliest stages, the five-year survival rate for localized breast cancer is 98 percent. Here are the four steps you need to take to ensure the earliest possible detection.
1) Take The Breast Cancer Risk Assessment
Developed by the National Cancer Institute, the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment helps determine a woman’s risk for breast cancer by answering a few simple questions. These include:
• What is your age?
• At what age did you have your first menstrual period?
• What was your age at the time of the birth of your first child?
• How many close relatives (mother, sisters, daughters) have had breast cancer?
• Have you ever had a breast biopsy?
• What is your race/ethnicity?
This early detection tool is only for women who have not been previously diagnosed with breast cancer. Talk to your personal physician about taking the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment. You can also go to www.cancer.gov and find an interactive version of the tool, but be sure you discuss the results with your physician.
2) Schedule a Yearly Mammography Exam
Essentially, a mammogram is an X-ray picture used to detect breast cancer as early as possible. By revealing tumors too small to be found by a physical examination, mammograms save lives, reducing cancer death rates by up to one-third. The American Cancer Society recommends an annual mammogram for all women starting at age 40.
A mammogram doesn’t take much time. The procedure itself only takes five to ten minutes. Some women believe that a mammogram may be painful. Thanks to advances in technology, however, any discomfort with today’s mammography exam is minimal. If your breasts are sensitive, you can minimize discomfort by scheduling your mammogram the week after your period and avoiding caffeine for 24-48 hours prior to the exam.
3) Perform a Monthly Self-Exam
A monthly breast self-exam (BSE) is another tool for detecting breast cancer. The best time to perform a breast self-exam is three to five days after your period, when your breasts are smoother and less tender. See your personal physician if you notice any of the following changes:
• A lump, bump or thickness
•A change in the size or shape of the breast
•Redness, swelling or darkening of the skin
•Any sudden discharge from the nipple
•Any dimpling or puckering of the skin
BSE has recently become a controversial topic. That’s because new studies indicate that a monthly self-exam may not be as effective as it was once thought. Indeed, some health organization are even recommending that women not perform a breast self-exam because they’re finding lumps that turn out to be benign, resulting in more biopsies and unnecessary surgery. And some women may mistakenly believe that a self-exam can take the place of a mammogram.
A breast self-exam can never be a substitute for an annual mammogram. It’s a proven fact that an annual mammogram reduces the risk of dying from breast cancer by 30 to 40 percent.
So think of your monthly self-exam as a way to enhance the benefits of having an annual mammogram, especially if you are at high risk for breast cancer. After all, it only takes a few minutes once a month to perform.
4) Have an Annual Physical Exam
Most lumps in the breast are found by women during a self-exam. But some abnormalities are difficult to detect and require someone with more experience. When your physician conducts a breast exam during your annual physical, he or she can sometimes notice changes in your breast that you thought were normal or that happened too slowly to be recognized. The combination of an annual exam by your doctor TOGETHER with a monthly self-exam is the best way to improve your chances of early detection.
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