Effective disease fighting depends on discovering the presence of illness before symptoms manifest. Breast cancer, which affects one in eight women, according to Medline Plus, can often be identified through various screening techniques before it blossoms into a real threat. According to statistics from Imaginis.com, a health site for women, those whose breast cancer is detected during its earliest stages have a 100 percent five-year survival rate.
Breast Cancer
Factors that can increase the likelihood of developing breast cancer include age (older individuals are more likely to develop cancer), sex (women are 100 times more likely to be affected by breast cancer than men), genetics (5 to 10 percent of cases appear to be inherited) and ethnicity (whites are more likely to be affected).
Breast Cancer Symptoms
In most cases, early-stage breast cancer rarely shows itself. Possible signs include a change in the shape or size of the breast, alteration in nipple coloration, an unexplainable discharge from the nipple, or (the most common symptom) a lump within the breast or armpit. Detection of any of these signs should prompt an immediate visit to a physician.
Detection Tools
According to the American Cancer Society, the most prevalent tool used to detect breast cancer is a simple self-examination. A self-examination is a manual examination of the breasts using the hands, for the purpose of detecting any significant changes in breast structure. The resource below titled "ACS Breast Self Exam" contains information to help you get started. Regular self-examination can help you become familiar enough with the characteristics of your breasts so that you are more attenuated to the development of abnormalities. Ideally, your health care provider can teach you the correct method to perform breast self-exams.
Escalating Detection Methods
An escalating policy of proactive breast cancer detection is required as the age of the patient increases. A yearly mammogram should be performed in addition to self and clinical exams beginning at the age of 40. Additionally, where the overall risk of developing breast cancer climbs above 20 percent, both a yearly mammogram and an MRI will be necessary.
New Developments
According to research published in the October 2009 edition of Science Translational Medicine, a new breast cancer screening tool is in the works. This method is a handheld device called a "lab on a chip" that is capable of analyzing a tissue sample at the genetic level to determine whether you are at an increased risk of developing breast cancer. If placed into widespread use, this could save women the trouble of conducting self-examinations, as they would be put on early notice of potential breast cancer during their regular visits to the doctor.
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