Screening for Breast Cancer

Screening for Breast Cancer

According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, breast cancer is second only to non-melanoma skin cancer, (Basal cell Carcinoma and Squamous cell Carcinoma) as the most common cancer in women in the United States. It is the second leading cause of death to women; with lung cancer being the number one cause of deaths. (Center for Disease Control, 2012) Routine breast cancer screening is a simple process that can detect early signs of breast cancer.

The purpose of screening for breast cancer is to find breast cancer before there are any symptoms and before it is able to spread to the lymph nodes or other body organs. Once the cancer has spread outside of the breast, it is no longer a curable disease. At this time there are only a few options for breast cancer screening.

The most cost effective and earliest form of screening for breast cancer is self-breast exams. These exams should be done monthly, but many women are unsure on how to do a self-breast exam. According to Dr. Stephen Barrett, a surgeon with Southeast Georgia Health System, there is many women who are doing self-breast exams, but they don't know what to be feeling for. (Adkison, 2011) In other words, some women are unsure or unaware of what a breast lump feels or looks like.

Women know their breasts better than anyone else, and should be aware of any changes. The Susan G. Komen for the Cure website suggests if there are any of the following changes in a woman’s breasts, they should contact their health care provider as soon as possible:

• Lump, hard knot or thickening inside the breast or underarm area

• Swelling, warmth, redness or darkening of the breast

• Change in the size or shape of the breast

• Dimpling or puckering of the skin

• Itchy, scaly sore or rash on the nipple

• Pulling in of your nipple or other parts of the breast

• Nipple discharge that starts suddenly

• New pain in one spot that doesn’t go away (Susan G Komen, 2012)...