Recently, the media was all a buzz when the famous actress Angelina Jolie-Pitt made headlines by opting to have a double mastectomy.
Many women began to question if they were at risk for breast cancer and if they should duplicate the same testing efforts. Health conscious women began to wonder if they should consider such an extreme surgery as a preventative measure.
According to the American Cancer Society, a case like Jolie’s is relatively rare. Only about 5 percent of breast cancer cases can be linked to a faulty BRCA gene said.
The American Cancer Society publishes current statistics and outlines preventative measures that can be taken. The Oregon Health News staff are pleased to share this information to raise Breast cancer awareness.
According to the American Cancer Society Screening is high on the list. This refers to tests and exams used to find a disease like cancer in people who do not have any symptoms. The earlier breast cancer is found, the better the chances that treatment will work. Many health providers agree that mammograms in women over the age of 40 and clinical breast exams in women in their 20‘s and 30‘s are considered both a safe and practical way to detect cancer.
The goal is to find cancers before they start to cause symptoms. The size of a breast cancer and how far it has spread are the most important factors in predicting the prognosis for the patient. Most doctors feel that tests for finding breast cancer early save many thousands of lives each year. Following the guidelines given here improves the chances that breast cancer can be found at an early stage and treated with success.
The ACS recommends the following guidelines for finding breast cancer early in women without symptoms:
Mammogram: Women age 40 and older should have a screening mammogram every year and should keep on doing 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, at least every three 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 look and feel like.
Breast self-exam (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 a health expert right away.
Research has shown that BSE plays a small role in finding breast cancer compared with finding a breast lump by chance or simply being aware of what is normal for each woman. If you decide to do BSE, you should have your doctor or nurse check your method to make sure you are doing it right. If you do BSE on a regular basis, you get to know how your breasts normally look and feel. Then you can more easily notice changes. But it’s OK not to do BSE or not to do it on a fixed schedule.
The goal, with or without BSE, is to see a 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.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): Women at high risk should get an MRI and a mammogram every year (women who are at high risk have at least a 25 percent lifetime risk of breast cancer). Women at moderately increased 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 percent.
Source: American Cancer Society, Inc.