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STATISTICS
 More women in the United States are diagnosed
with breast cancer every year than with any other cancer except skin cancer. This
year, about 175,000 cases will be diagnosed and about 43,300 women will die of the
disease. Many of these live could have been saved by early diagnosis.
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WHAT is a
mammogram?
 |
A mammogram is an
X-ray of the breasts. It is the best method doctors have for finding breast cancer
at an early stage, when cancer treatment is more successful. Sometime between the
ages of 35-40, mammography should become a regular part of your health care. |
WHY should I have
a mammogram?
| |
Mammography can
detect some types of cancer long before these growths become large enough to be felt
during a physical exam. If a cancerous growth is found early enough, there are more
ways in which it can be successfully treated, and the chance for cure is greater. Caught early enough, breast cancer can
be cured. In fact,
if all women over 50 had regular mammograms, their death rate from breast cancer would
drop by a third! |
|
|
| |
Doctors estimate
that more than half a million women in the United States have undiagnosed breast dancer
that could be detected by mammography. Many of these cases can be cured if they are
caught in time. Considering how small the risks of mammography are, especially
compared with the benefits, it makes good sense to talk to your doctor about making
regular mammograms part of your routine health care. |
|
|
| |
No medical
procedure, including mammography, is perfect. But combined with monthly self breast
self-exams and regular checkups with your doctor, mammography is an excellent method to
detect cancer in an early-and more curable-stage. |
Helpful Hints:
A mammogram is
a simple test that
requires only a little planning.
| |
Schedule the test
for one week after your period when your breasts are less tender. |
|
|
| |
Make sure your
clinic gets your last mammogram if it was done somewhere else. This lets the doctor
compare the two. |
|
|
| |
On the morning of
your test: |
|
- |
Wash your breasts
and underarms |
|
- |
Don't use
deodorant, powder or perfume; the particles may create a poor picture |
|
- |
Wear a blouse or
sweater that you can remove easily |
|
- |
Check to see how
early you need to arrive |
|
|
| |
Let the
technologist know if: |
|
- |
You think you may
be or are pregnant |
|
- |
You have breast
implants |
|
- |
You have any
scars or moles on or near your breasts |
|
- |
You've had a
breast biopsy or surgery |
|
- |
You're breast
feeding |
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Breast Cancer
SCREENING GUIDELINES
The American
Cancer Society guidelines for the early detection of breast cancer:
Age 20-39:
| |
Have a clinical
breast examination (CBE) by a doctor or nurse every three years |
| |
Do a breast self-examination every month |
Age 40 and over:
| |
Have a mammogram
every year |
| |
Have an annual
clinical breast examination (CBE) by a doctor or nurse (CBE should be done close to the
time of the mammogram) |
| |
Do a breast self-examination every month |
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Why is a BREAST
SELF-EXAMINATION (BSE) important?
| |
There are many
good reasons for doing a breast self-exam each month. One reason is that it is easy
to do and the more you do it, the better you will get at it. When you get to know
how your breasts normally feel, you will quickly be able to feel any change, and early
detection is the key to successful treatment. |
Remember: A breast self-exam could save your
breast- and save your life. Most breast lumps are found by women themselves, but in
fact, most lumps in the breast are not cancer. Be safe, be sure.
How to do a
BREAST SELF-EXAMINATION:
| 1. |
Lie down and put
a pillow under your right shoulder. Place your right arm behind your head. |
| 2. |
Use the finger
pads of your three middle fingers on your left hand to feel for lumps or thickening in
your right breast. Your finger pads are the top third of each finger. |
| 3. |
Press firmly
enough to know how your breast feels. If you're not sure how hard to press, ask your
health care provider. Or, try to copy the way your health care provider uses the
finger pads during a breast exam. Learn what your breast feels like most of the
time. A firm ridge in the lower curve of each breast is normal. |
|
|
| 4. |
Move around the
breast in a set way. You can choose either the circle (A), the up and down (B), or
the wedge (C). Do it the same way every time. It will help you to make sure
that you've gone over the entire breast area, and to remember how your breast feels. |
| 5. |
Now examine your
left breast using right hand finger pads. |
|
|
| 6. |
Repeat the
examination of both breasts while standing, with one arm behind your head. The
upright position makes it easier to check the upper and outer part of the breasts (toward
your armpit). You may want to do the standing part of the BSE while you are in the
shower. Some breast changes can be felt more easily when your skin is wet and soapy.
|
 For added safety, you can also check
your breasts for any dimpling of the skin, changes in the nipple, redness, or swelling
while standing in front of a mirror right after your BSE each month.
If you find any
changes, see your doctor right away.
When to do a
BREAST SELF-EXAMINATION:
| |
The best time to
do breast self-exam is right after your period, when breasts are not tender or swollen. If
you do not have regular periods or sometimes skip a month, do it on the same day every
month. |
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OTHER WEB SITES
American Cancer Society
phone: 1-404-320-2408
American Heart Association
phone: 1-800-AHA-USA1
North American Menopause Society
phone: 1-800-774-5342
National
Cancer Institute
1-800-4-CANCER
Oncology.com
Healthology
OnHealth
The Breast Clinic
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If your
questions were not answered satisfactorily or if you have any other concerns, PLEASE talk
to your health care provider,
OR
contact
Elizabeth Hilson
Director
BY
email:
bhilson@catskill.net
call:
607-431-5185
or visit:
Suite 401
FoxCare Center
Oneonta, NY
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* Information on
this page taken from:
-Cancer Facts for Women.
An American Cancer Society Pamphlet. American Cancer Society, Inc. 1999.
-Mammography: An X-ray Exam of Your Breasts. A Krames Communications Brochure. 1997.
-Special Procedures: Mammography. An ACOG Patient Education pamphlet. The American College
of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 1989. |
