Breast Cancer - Ways For Detecting It
by Allison Thompson

There are various different kinds of cancer that people are now being diagnosed with and of all of these breast cancer is actually one of the more easily treatable.  However it is vital that if a woman wants to get her breast cancer treated then it is best if it is detected during its early stages of growth.  The reason why this form of cancer is so easily treatable is because of the methods of detection of that are employed.  These methods have now made this form of cancer one of the more favorable for not only being treated easily but is more likely to provide the sufferer with a cure.

When it actually comes to detecting breast cancer today especially in its early stages of growth then most doctors will use breast examinations and mammography to do this.  In studies that have been carried out over the years in to this particular form of cancer the results have been showing that the earlier the disease is detected then the greater chance the woman has of surviving it.

Today women are being advised and told that it is vitally important that they learn how to carry out examinations of their own breasts on a regular basis.  The reason for this being that they will be more aware and notice any slight changes to the formation of their breasts that were not there before.  Also it is now being highlighted that having a regular mammograph is important as well especially for women where there is a history of breast cancer in their family.  Certainly using this form of examination will help to ensure that the cancer is detected at the earliest stage possible.  As you will soon find out both these forms of examination are used as the basis in helping to detect breast cancer in women today.

But a lot of women will be wondering just how often they should under go a breast examination or mammogram in order to help to see if they have this form of cancer or not.  Certainly with breast examinations a woman could carry out this for herself each month and the best place to do this is when you are having a shower.

As for mammograms in the USA the ACS (American Cancer Society) recommend that women have their first mammogram when they reach the age of 40.  This will then be used as a base reading and after this they will need to have a further mammogram test each year.  However the ACS do suggest that with those women who are at a much higher risk of developing this form of cancer or suffer from any other type of breast problems.  Then they should have their first mammogram at the age of 35.

A mammography is done with an x ray machine that can then detect most types of breast cancer in their very earliest stages and can be used to detect it in both women and men.  The main advantage to be had from having a mammography on a regular basis is that it is able to detect the disease when it is still very small and if you were to carry out an external breast examination with your hands you would not actually feel the growth at all.

Around 85 to 90% of all the breast cancer that is now being detected and thus treated has been done through the use of mammography.  But not only is the number of women being detected and treated for this particular form of cancer increased but the number of women actually dying from it has reduced.  In fact in those women who are over the age of 50 and have been diagnosed with having breast cancer today around 30% more are likely to survive.

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.