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Participation in screening examinations for early breast cancer detection gives patients a better chance of finding cancers before symptoms occur. Breast cancers that cause symptoms tend to be relatively larger and likely to have spread beyond the breast. Breast cancers found during screening examinations are more likely to be small and still confined to the breast.
Screening Guidelines
The American Cancer Society provides the following recommendations for Early Breast Cancer Detection.
- Women age 40 and older should have a screening mammogram every year.
- Between the ages of 20 and 39, women should have a clinical breast examination by a health professional every 3 years. After age 40, women should have a breast exam by a health professional every year.
- Women age 20 or older should perform a breast self-examination (BSE) every month. By doing the exam regularly, you get to know how your breasts normally feel and you can more readily detect any signs or symptoms.
- If a change occurs, such as development of a lump or swelling, skin irritation or dimpling, nipple pain or retraction (turning inward), redness or scaliness of the nipple or breast skin, or a discharge other than breast milk, you should see your health care provider as soon as possible for evaluation. However, remember that most of the time, these breast changes are not cancer.
- Although there are some features of a mass that suggest whether it is likely to be benign or cancerous, women examining their own breasts should discuss any new lump with their healthcare professionals. Experienced healthcare professionals can examine the breast and determine whether the changes you have noticed are probably benign or whether there is a possibility they may be due to a breast cancer. They can determine when additional tests are appropriate to rule out a cancer and when follow-up exams are the best strategy. If there is any suspicion of cancer, a biopsy will be done.
Symptoms
If you have any of these symptoms, contact your physician immediately.
- A lump in the breast
- An unusual increase in the size of one breast
- One breast unusually lower than the other
- A puckering of the skin of the breast
- A new dimpling of the nipple
- A discharge or bleeding from the nipple
- A change in the skin of the nipple
- An enlargement of the lymph nodes
- An unusual swelling of the upper arm.
Source: American Cancer Society
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