- May 5, 2022
- By admin
Mammography screening at the right age can detect breast cancer earlier.
Risk factors associated with Breast Cancer.
Breast cancer is a disorder in which the cells in the breast get uncontrollably large. Breast cancer can come in a variety of forms. Which cells in the breast turn cancerous determines the type of breast cancer. Breast cancer can start in a lot of different locations. Lobules, ducts, and connective tissue make up the three primary elements of a breast. Milk is produced by lobules, which are glands. The milk is delivered to the nipple by the ducts, which are tubes. Everything is held together by connective tissue (which is made up of fibrous and fatty tissue). The ducts or lobules are where most breast cancers start. When cancer cells start in the ducts and spread to other regions of the breast tissue it is known as invasive ductal carcinoma. Invasive ductal carcinoma is a type of cancer that can spread to other regions of the body. Cancer cells start in the lobules and subsequently move to nearby breast tissues it is known as invasive lobular carcinoma. Invasive cancer cells have the potential to spread to other parts of the body. Breast cancer is caused by a variety of variables, according to studies. Being a woman and being older are two major factors that increase your risk. The majority of breast cancers are diagnosed in women over the age of 50. Some women will develop breast cancer despite having no other known risk factors. You don’t always have a risk factor to have the disease, and not all risk factors have the same consequence. Although most women have some risk factors for breast cancer, the majority of women do not develop the disease. If you have risk factors for breast cancer, talk to your doctor about strategies to reduce your risk and about breast cancer screening. Breast and ovarian cancer are more common in women who have inherited changes (mutations) to particular genes, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2. If a woman has a mother, sister, or daughter (first-degree relative) or many family members on either her mother’s or father’s side of the family who has had breast or ovarian cancer, her chance of breast cancer is increased.
Screening methods for Breast Cancer.
The term “breast cancer screening” refers to a woman’s breasts being checked for cancer before any symptoms or signs of the disease appear. The optimum screening choices for each woman should be discussed with their health care practitioner. This is known as informed and shared decision-making, and it occurs when you are informed about the advantages and dangers of screening and decide with your health care provider whether or not screening is suitable for you—and, if so, when to undergo it. A mammogram is a type of X-ray that is used to examine the breast. Mammograms are the most effective technique for many women to detect breast cancer early when it is easier to treat and before it has grown large enough to feel or cause symptoms. Regular mammograms can help you from dying from breast cancer. For most women of screening age, mammography is the best technique to detect breast cancer at this time. A breast MRI provides scans of the breast using magnets and radio waves. Breast MRI is used in conjunction with mammograms to assess people at high risk for breast cancer. Breast MRIs are not used for women at average risk because they can appear abnormal even when there is no malignancy. Knowing how your breasts appear and feel can help you spot symptoms like lumps, soreness, or changes in size that could be cause for concern. Changes discovered during a breast self-examination could be among them. Any changes you see should be reported to your doctor or health care provider. It has not been proven that having a clinical breast exam or performing a breast self-exam reduces the chance of dying from breast cancer.
Insights into mammography for early detection of Breast Cancer.
In general, mammography-detected breast cancers are smaller and have more favourable histological and biological characteristics than tumours discovered between mammography screening rounds or tumours discovered outside of screening. X-rays are used to obtain images in both screen-film mammography and full-field digital mammography. The image is captured on film in screen-film mammography; the image is captured digitally in full-field digital mammography. The images can then be produced on film or interpreted immediately from a computer monitor. By facilitating electronic transmission, storage, and retrieval, the digital acquisition process enhances logistics and workflow. Radiologists watching the image on a display can adjust the image’s contrast and brightness, as well as magnify certain areas, without exposing the patient to further x-rays. Computer-aided detection software is much easy to use with digital imagery. The greater expense of full-field digital mammography, on the other hand, is a disadvantage. Breast cancer can be detected early using screening mammography, which should start at the age of 40. The results of randomised trials involving women in their 40s and 50s demonstrate that mammography screening reduces the risk of breast cancer mortality, the doctors claim, noting that mammogram screening is not without errors. Women in their 40s have a reduced risk of disease, denser breast tissue (which might reduce mammography sensitivity), and faster-growing malignancies on average. In general, younger women do not realize they are at risk for breast cancer. On the other hand, breast cancer can develop at any age. Breast cancer cases in women below the age of 40 accounts for 5% of all cases. Every woman should be aware of her own particular risk factors for breast cancer.
References
- ACS Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines. (n.d.). Retrieved May 5, 2022, from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/screening-tests-and-early-detection/american-cancer-society-recommendations-for-the-early-detection-of-breast-cancer.html
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month: When should a woman go for mammograms? (2021, October 20). The Indian Express. https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/breast-cancer-awareness-month-when-should-a-woman-go-for-mammograms-health-cancer-7579398/
- CDCBreastCancer. (2022a, March 9). What Is Breast Cancer? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/what-is-breast-cancer.htm
- CDCBreastCancer. (2022b, March 9). What Is Breast Cancer Screening? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/screening.htm
- Elmore, J. G., Armstrong, K., Lehman, C. D., & Fletcher, S. W. (2005). Screening for Breast Cancer. JAMA : The Journal of the American Medical Association, 293(10), 1245–1256. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.293.10.1245