Breast Cancer - The Ways Of Detecting It

There are various different kinds of cancer that people are now being diagnosed with and of all of these breast cancer is actually one of the more easily treatable. However it is vital that if a woman wants to get her breast cancer treated then it is best if it is detected during its early stages of growth. The reason why this form of cancer is so easily treatable is because of the methods of detection of that are employed. These methods have now made this form of cancer one of the more favorable for not only being treated easily but is more likely to provide the sufferer with a cure.

When it actually comes to detecting breast cancer today especially in its early stages of growth then most doctors will use breast examinations and mammography to do this. In studies that have been carried out over the years in to this particular form of cancer the results have been showing that the earlier the disease is detected then the greater chance the woman has of surviving it.


As we are now learning through our doctors and through advertisements it is important that women learn how to carry out regular examinations of their breasts for themselves. The reason for this being is that they will be much more aware of any changes that have taken place since the last time they checked them. Also it is important for those women who have a history in their family of women suffering from breast cancer to have a regular mammogram test. By doing this they will be assured that the disease can be detected at the earliest stages of growth as possible. In fact today these forms of examination as used as the basis for detecting any form of breast cancer in women.

However there are many who are unsure just how often it is they should be carrying out a breast examination or under going a mammograph in order to see if they have this form of cancer or not. Generally it is felt by medical professionals that a woman should be looking to carry out a self examination of her breasts each month. Probably the best time to be doing this is when they are having a shower.

As for mammograms in the USA the ACS (American Cancer Society) recommend that women have their first mammogram when they reach the age of 40. This will then be used as a base reading and after this they will need to have a further mammogram test each year. However the ACS do suggest that with those women who are at a much higher risk of developing this form of cancer or suffer from any other type of breast problems. Then they should have their first mammogram at the age of 35.

A mammography is done with an x ray machine that can then detect most types of breast cancer in their very earliest stages and can be used to detect it in both women and men. The main advantage to be had from having a mammography on a regular basis is that it is able to detect the disease when it is still very small and if you were to carry out an external breast examination with your hands you would not actually feel the growth at all.

Around 85 to 90% of all the breast cancer that is now being detected and thus treated has been done through the use of mammography. But not only is the number of women being detected and treated for this particular form of cancer increased but the number of women actually dying from it has reduced. In fact in those women who are over the age of 50 and have been diagnosed with having breast cancer today around 30% more are likely to survive.

Although using mammography does help to detect breast cancer in its very early stages in most women there are some around 10%-15% of women that this method of detecting this form of cancer can not help. So it is extremely important that all women learn the right way for carrying out a self examination of their breasts and what are the main signs to look for. It is preferable for a woman to carry out her own self examination as she will be more aware of any changes that take place in her body each month. Yet if she does not feel that she is able to carry out the examination properly or she has discovered something untoward then it is important that she arranges for her doctor to carry out a physical examination as well.

By: Allison Thompson

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Certainly discovering that you or are loved one has breast cancer is a horrifying experience, no longer does it mean a your life is at an end. However by visiting Cancer Report we provide useful guides and articles that will help to make dealing with this form of cancer much easier to handle.

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