Breast Cancer - The Ways Of Detecting It

Of the various different types of cancer that people are now getting, breast cancer is one of the more treatable of them. But it is important that if a woman wants hers to be treated effectively it needs to be detected in the very early stages of growth. In fact because of the way it can be detected today breast cancer is considered to be one of the more favorable forms of cancer that can now be treated.

When it comes to detecting cancer of the breast in its early stages is by doing a breast examination or using a mammography as these are the more favored methods. In fact in studies carried out the smaller the breast cancer once it has been detected then there is a much higher chance the person with it will survive.

Certainly women are now being told it is extremely important that they carry out regular breast examinations on themselves as they will be more aware of any changes to their breasts. But also if there is a history of breast cancer in the family then having regular mammograms will help to ensure that detection of the disease can often be found during its much earlier stages of formation. In fact both examinations and mammograms are now used as the basis for detecting breast cancer in women today.

However many women will often ask the question "Just how often do I need to carry out a breast examination or get a mammogram done?" The answer to this is quite simple. For a breast examination a woman should be looking to arrange for her doctor to inspect them on a monthly basis or if she wants she can carry it out herself at home whilst say having a shower.

Whilst when it comes to mammography the American Cancer Society (ACS) recommend that all women once they reach the age of 40 should have one then and one annually thereafter. The first mammography that takes place after they reach 40 will be used a guideline for all future annual ones. However in women where there is a history of breast cancer in the family or they suffer from other forms of breast complaints then it is important that they under go this particular test when they reach the age of 35.

A mammogram uses an x ray machine which is then able to detect cancer in a woman's or even sometimes in men's breasts. These machines are able to detect the cancer at its earliest stage when it is very small and would not be detected using the more traditional breast examination.

Today around 85 to 90% of all the breast cancer now be detected and treated have been found using the mammogram test. This in turn has helped to reduce the number of women dying from this form of cancer by up to 30% especially in women over the age of 50 who are found to have it.

Yet even though the use of a mammography can help to detect breast cancer in most women today, there is a small number (around 10 to 15%) where this type of test will not detect it. However when a physical examination is carried out it is discovered. Therefore it is extremely important that all women learn the right way of examining their breasts as well as learning what the signs of this disease are. It is preferable if a woman learns how to carry out a self examination each month as they will be more aware of any changes to their bodies structure. However if she feels that she has a problem or is incapable of carry out the examination herself correctly then she should arrange to have a physical examination carried out by her doctor.