DC Jubsal

Breast cancer

Breast cancer is quite different from other solid tumors. Patients could survive more than 20, or 30 years after surgical removal of breast cancer. Early diagnosis is very important. Due to the fact that the locations of breast cancer could usually be relatively superficial, which made the early diagnosis possible. Therefore, breast cancer screening is a must. Current guidelines for the screening are as follow:

 

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has issued new breast cancer screening guidelines, which are published in the November 17 issue, 2009, of the Annals of Internal MedicineMedicine.

 

The updated guidelines were based on the efficacy of film mammography, CBE, BSE, digital mammography, and MRI, in lowering breast cancer mortality rates.

• The USPSTF recommends against routine screening mammography in women aged 40 to 49 years.
• Women aged 50 to 74 years should undergo biennial screening mammography, which is associated with decreased breast cancer mortality rates.
• The benefits and harms of either digital mammography or MRI vs film mammography as screening modalities for breast cancer are unclear.

The task force recommends against teaching breast self-examination (BSE).

The benefits and harms of clinical breast examination (CBE) for women aged at least 40 years is unclear, which is different from the 2002 statement that endorsed mammography screening, with or without CBE, annually or biennially for women 40 years or older.

American CancerCancer Society has different opinion as regard to whether to have routine mammography screening for women between aged 40-49 years.

 

In my opinion, it is not a bad idea to have a self check or have your careful partner or hub check it for you several times a year, especially if you are not in high risk group and do not plan to have screening mammography done when over 40. Mammography, which may be more sensitive than physical examination of the breasts, can detect presymptomatic breast cancer, especially when microcalcification was found. A fact is that for early breast cancer at a size of 3-5 mm, it is no way to be detected by physical examination. However, it can be detected by mammography if having microcalcification.  If you are aged 40 to 49 and you have concerns whether you are possibly at high risk, please discuss with your doctor to determine whether you need and when you should to start Mammography screening. Due to possible false positive, you should have second opinion whether you do have breast cancer, and whether you should have mastectomy done. If your mom, aunt, or elder sister had breast cancer, you should get checked at or before early 40 every year.