According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women other than skin cancer.
According to the organization, one in eight women will develop breast cancer.
Women begin having annual mammograms around age 40 to detect breast cancer.
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Learn more about breast cancer and how to get tested for breast cancer.
- What is breast cancer?
- What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
- What is mammography?
- What should I know about mammography radiation?
- What questions should I think about before getting a mammogram?
- Are there alternatives to breast cancer screening?
- At what age does breast cancer most commonly occur?
- What are the risk factors associated with breast cancer?
One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. (St. Petersburg)
1. What is breast cancer?
According to Medline Plus, an online health information service run by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, breast cancer is a disease that develops in breast tissue when cells within the breast “change and grow uncontrollably.”
The cells that cause breast cancer usually form tumors, which are abnormal lumps of tissue.
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Cancer cells and cancerous tumors (malignant) are dangerous because they can destroy organ function and destroy healthy cells if they continue to spread.
If left untreated, it can cause serious harm or death, according to a report in Medical News Today, a medical news website owned by Healthline Media.
According to the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women after skin cancer.
A biopsy can be done to diagnose breast cancer. (St. Petersburg)
The final step in diagnosing breast cancer is a biopsy.
A biopsy is done after an imaging test, such as a mammogram, finds something that may be related to breast cancer.
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Treatment for breast cancer usually includes chemotherapy, hormone therapy, or radiation therapy.
2. What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
The most common symptom to be aware of that may be related to breast cancer is a new lump or mass.
If you notice a new lump or lump shape, it's best to get it checked out right away.
Other symptoms that may be associated with breast cancer include swelling of the breast or part of the breast, pain in the breast or nipple area, nipple retraction (when the nipple begins to curve inward), nipple discharge, or red, flaky There are some types of skin.
One of the main symptoms of breast cancer is a lump or mass. (St. Petersburg)
3. What is mammography?
One common breast cancer screening method is mammography.
This screening method is a subject of debate among experts.
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According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, potential risks associated with mammography screening include overdiagnosis, false positives, anxiety, and radiation damage.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a mammogram is an x-ray test that helps doctors detect early signs of breast cancer.
The machine used to perform a mammogram has a plastic plate that flattens the breast so a radiologist can take X-ray images and analyze any abnormalities.
Mammogram results are usually reported within a few weeks after the test.
Mammography is a common method of screening for breast cancer. (St. Petersburg)
According to a report from the CDC, women with dense breasts are more likely to develop breast cancer. Some women have dense breasts if they are younger, pregnant or breastfeeding, taking hormone replacement therapy, or are lower in weight.
“Dense tissue can hide cancer,” the CDC writes in its report, “What does it mean to have dense breasts?”
“Fibrous tissue and glandular tissue appear white on a mammogram, and tumors are likely as well,” the CDC added. “Mammography has difficulty telling the difference between a tumor and dense breast tissue, so small tumors may be missed.”
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The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent volunteer panel of national experts in disease prevention, found that women between the ages of 40 and 40 who value the potential benefits of mammography more than the potential harms It states that women can choose to start breast cancer screening once a year. 49 years.
According to the CDC, the American Cancer Society, American Medical Association, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American College of Radiology, American College of Physicians, and American Cancer Society have conducted a similar Breast screening guidelines have been published. Academy of Family Physicians.
Three of the six cancer organizations mentioned above recommend annual mammograms for concerned women ages 40 to 49, if desired.
It is usually recommended that women over the age of 50 have a mammogram once or twice a year.
The age at which women are recommended to undergo breast cancer screening is controversial, but the age at which women are generally eligible for regular screening is 40. (St. Petersburg)
All cancer organizations advise women to talk to their health care provider to discuss the potential benefits and risks of having a mammography screening.
4. What should I know about mammography radiation?
One of the concerns of people undergoing mammography is radiation, but many experts believe that the risks associated with breast cancer outweigh the risks associated with mammography.
Dr. Jessica Shepard, a Dallas-based obstetrician-gynecologist and chief medical officer of the health information website Verywell Health, says mammograms are not recommended because most breast cancer cases are diagnosed after age 50. He said it is usually performed on women who are close to 50 years old. That age.
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“The radiation dose from a mammogram is very low and poses little risk, making it a safe diagnostic tool, and mammography is typically only needed once a year. Therefore, “There is no risk of significant radiation exposure,” Sheppard said. he told FOX News Digital.
She noted that there was “a modest association with increased risk of breast cancer over time.” [mammogram] Frequency and breast size also play a role, but overall this increased risk is very small. ”
Shepard said that delaying the diagnosis of breast cancer is riskier than radiation exposure.
Mammography is essential for early detection of breast cancer. (St. Petersburg)
“Breast cancer is highly treatable if detected early, and mammography can be very helpful in these cases,” Shepard continued.
“if [breast cancer is] If allowed to progress, patients may have to undergo more complex treatments such as surgery and chemotherapy, which are much more invasive than the radiation exposure from a mammogram. ”
5. What questions should I think about before getting a mammogram?
There are several questions to consider before deciding to have a mammogram.
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There are three questions every woman should ask herself before requesting a mammogram visit or appointment, says Dr. Kathleen Keenan Harnden, director of breast oncology at Inova Schar Cancer Institute in Annandale, Virginia. he told Fox News Digital.
- Is there an increased risk of breast cancer?
- How can I reduce my risk of breast cancer?
- Is my mammogram three-dimensional (3D) or two-dimensional (2D)?
Harnden recommends 3D mammography over 2D because multiple images taken from different angles can provide a clearer analysis of breast tissue.
6. Are there alternatives to breast cancer screening?
Other breast cancer screening methods also exist for women who are not eligible or do not want a mammogram.
The CDC lists breast ultrasound, breast MRI clinical breast exam, and self-examination as possible screenings for breast cancer.
Ultrasound uses sound waves to produce images, or sonograms, while MRI is a computerized body scan that uses magnets to produce images.
Ultrasound is an alternative to mammography for breast cancer screening. (St. Petersburg)
A clinical breast exam is performed by a doctor or nurse. During the exam, your health care professional will manually check your breast tissue for abnormal lumps or other physically detectable changes.
Women can check their breasts for common breast cancer symptoms, such as lumps, pain, and changes in size.
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“Any changes you notice should be reported to your doctor or health care provider,” the CDC writes in “What is Breast Cancer Screening?” guide.
“Clinical breast exams or breast self-exams have not been found to reduce the risk of dying from breast cancer.”
More screening alternatives are still being investigated, including nanotechnology and treatments with lower radiation doses. Women diagnosed with breast cancer and women without breast cancer can choose to participate in a variety of clinical trials to discover more screening alternatives and treatment options.
It is important to talk to your doctor about the screening method that is best for you. (St. Petersburg)
7. At what age does breast cancer most commonly occur?
CDC data shows that breast cancer incidence steadily increases with age, but remains low in women under 40.
Female breast cancer incidence by age group: CDC
- 15-19: 0.2 per 100,000 women
- 20～24: 1.8 per 100,000 women
- 25-29: 10.5 per 100,000 women
- 30-34: 30.1 per 100,000 women
- 35-39: 64.8 per 100,000 women
- 40-44: 131.7 per 100,000 women
- 45-49: 201 per 100,000 women
- 50-54: 240.7 per 100,000 women
- 55-59: 273.3 per 100,000 women
- 60-64: 339.8 per 100,000 women
- 65-69: 425.2 per 100,000 women
- 70-74: 475.8 per 100,000 women
- 75-79: 466.1 per 100,000 women
- 80-84: 420.7 per 100,000 women
- Over 85 years old: 318.2 per 100,000 women
Although experts don't all agree on whether women under 40 should get mammograms, incidence data from the CDC through 2019 shows that young women in their 20s and 30s I have been diagnosed with breast cancer.
According to the CDC, only about 9% of all breast cancer cases are found in women under 45.
As you get older, risk factors begin to increase. Sources say most breast cancers are diagnosed after the age of 50.
Because breast cancer is more common in women over 40, medical experts and organizations recommend regular breast cancer screening for middle-aged and older women.
8. What are the risk factors associated with breast cancer?
Along with age, family history is also a major risk factor for breast cancer.
“Having one first-degree relative with breast cancer doubles a woman's risk,” Harnden told FOX News Digital.
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Other risk factors highlighted by the CDC include reproductive history, previous treatment with radiation therapy, dense breasts, exposure to the drug diethylstilbestrol (DES), and genetic mutations.
According to the CDC, factors such as low physical activity, being overweight, taking hormones, reproductive history, and alcohol use are also risks associated with the disease that are within a person's control.
Courtney Moore contributed reporting.
