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How to Detect Breast Cancer

When cancer is detected in its early stages, more action can be taken to effectively treat the cancer. Preventative tests such as mammograms, pap smear tests and self-breast examinations need to be incorporated in your life depending on your age and risk factors.

Listed below are breast cancer screening methods for women in their fifties. Talk to your doctor or health care professional about cancer screening and whether it would be likely to help you.

Breast Self-Examination
When you examine your own breasts it is called breast self-examination (BSE). Studies so far have not shown that BSE alone reduces the number of deaths from breast cancer. Therefore, it should not be used in place of clinical breast examination and mammography. Your doctor can talk to you about what types of screening tests would be best for you at your age.

Clinical Breast Examination
During your routine physical examination, your doctor or health care professional may do a clinical breast examination (CBE). During a CBE, your doctor will carefully feel your breasts and under your arms to check for lumps or other unusual changes.

Pap Test
A Pap Test is an examination where a nurse or doctor wipes a swab on the cervix in your vagina. All women in their fifties should have an annual Pap Test, which are important because they detect cancer of the cervix early--while it's still easier to cure.

Even women who have gone through the "change of life" or menopause need a Pap Test every year.

Mammogram
A mammogram is a special x-ray of the breast that can often find tumors that are too small for you or your doctor to feel. Your doctor may suggest that you have a mammogram, especially if you have any of the risk factors listed above. The usefulness of mammograms may be different depending on your age.

Some studies that have been done show that breast cancer screening with mammography reduces the number of deaths from breast cancer in women in their fifties. If you are in this age group, talk to your doctor about mammography as a regular part of your health care plan.

Ultrasonography
During ultrasonography, sound waves (called ultrasound) are bounced off tissues and the echoes are converted into a picture (sonogram). Ultrasound is used to evaluate lumps that have been identified by BSE, CBE, or mammography. Studies have not shown that ultrasonography is of any proven benefit in detecting breast cancer.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
A procedure in which a magnet linked to a computer is used to create detailed pictures of areas inside the body. MRIs are used to evaluate breast masses that have been found by BSE or CBE and to recognize the difference between cancer and scar tissue. The role of MRI in breast cancer screening has not yet been established.