Learn more about Breast Cancer
Dr. Lulu Xiang
Consultant Gynecologist
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, other than skin cancer. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer. About 182,460 women in the United States will be found to have invasive breast cancer in 2008. About 40,480 women will die from the disease this year. The chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer some time during her life is about 1 in 8. The chance of dying from breast cancer is about 1 in 35. Breast cancer death rates are going down. This is probably the result of finding the cancer earlier and improved treatment.
What Causes Breast Cancer?
We do not yet know exactly what causes breast cancer, but we do know that certain risk factors are linked to the disease. A risk factor is anything that affects a person's chance of getting a disease such as cancer. Different cancers have different risk factors. Some risk factors, such as smoking, drinking, and diet are linked to things a person does. Others, like a person's age, race, or family history, can't be changed. But having a risk factor, or even many, doesn’t mean that a person will get the disease.
ACS (American cancer society) Recommendations for Early Breast Cancer Detection
The ACS recommends the following guidelines for finding breast cancer early in women without symptoms:
Mammogram: Women age 40 and older should have a mammogram every year and should continue to do so for as long as they are in good health. While mammograms can miss some cancers, they are still a very good way to find breast cancer.
Clinical breast exam: Women in their 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam (CBE) as part of a regular exam by a health expert, preferably every 3 years. After age 40, women should have a breast exam by a health expert every year. It might be a good idea to have the CBE shortly before the mammogram. You can use the exam to learn what your own breasts feel like.
Breast self-exam (BSE): BSE is an option for women starting in their 20s. Women should be told about the benefits and limitations of BSE. Women should report any changes in how their breasts look or feel to their health professional right away.
The most important thing is to see your doctor right away if you notice any of these changes: a lump or swelling, skin irritation or dimpling, nipple pain or the nipple turning inward, redness or scaliness of the nipple or breast skin, or a discharge other than breast milk. But remember that most of the time these breast changes are not cancer.
Women at high risk: Women with a higher risk of breast cancer should talk with their doctor about the best approach for them. This might mean starting mammograms when they are younger, having extra screening tests, or having more frequent exams. There are charts called risk assessment tools that your doctor can use to figure out whether or not you are at high risk.
Mammograms:
A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast. This test is used to look for breast disease in women who do not appear to have breast problems. It can also be used when women have symptoms such as a lump, skin change, or nipple discharge.
During a mammogram, the breast is pressed between 2 plates to flatten and spread the tissue. The pressure lasts only for a few seconds. Although this may cause some discomfort for a moment, it is needed to get a good picture. Very low levels of radiation are used. While many people are worried about exposure to x-rays, the low level of radiation used for mammograms does not significantly increase the risk of breast cancer. To put dose into perspective, if a woman with breast cancer is treated with radiation, she will receive around 5,000 rads (a term used to measure radiation dose). If she had a mammograms every year from age 40 to age 90, she will have received 20 to 40 rads.
For the mammogram, you undress above the waist. You will have a wrap to cover yourself. A technologist (most often a woman) will position your breast correctly for the test. The pressure lasts only a few seconds while the picture is taken. The whole procedure takes about 20 minutes. You should get your results within 30 days or even sooner.
About 1 in 10 women who get a mammogram will need more pictures taken. But most of these women do not have breast cancer, so don’t be alarmed if this happens to you. Only 2 to 4 of every 1,000 mammograms leads to a diagnosis of cancer.
* Please contact our OBGY doctors for a thorough breast check-up or consultation.