Can Breast Cancer
Be Detected Early?
by Raul Alfredo Alvarez Arrazola, M.D
When you are diagnosed with cancer, you go through a myriad of feelings, am I going to live, how long will I live, how bad is it and the list goes on and on. A year before I was diagnosed my mother-in-law had succumbed to breast cancer after battling it for a year. My aunt on my mother’s side had been diagnosed a few years before but suffered no ill effects and succumbed from Parkinson’s disease and not cancer.
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993, then my mother’s other sister was diagnosed and then my brother’s wife was diagnosed. It was like breast cancer had invaded every aspect of my life. So many thoughts went through my head. I also wondered how could this be, was there any more of it in our family that I did not know about.
Yes, there was, I found out as I began talking with my mother. My maternal great-grandmother had died of breast cancer in the late 1800’s before there was much known about cancer at all, much less breast cancer. - Lila Jane Givens Miller
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, just behind lung cancer.
The goal of screening examinations for early breast cancer detection is to find cancers before they start to cause symptoms. Screening refers to tests and examinations used to detect a disease, such as cancer, in people who do not have any symptoms. Breast cancers that are detected because they can be felt tend to be larger and are more likely to have spread beyond the breast. In contrast, breast cancers found during screening examinations are more likely to be small and still confined to the breast.
The size of a breast cancer and how far it has spread are the most important factors in predicting the prognosis (the outlook for chances of survival) of a woman with this disease. Finding a breast cancer as early as possible improves the likelihood that treatment will be successful. Most doctors feel that early detection tests for breast cancer save many thousands of lives each year, and that many more lives could be saved if even more women and their health care providers took advantage of these tests. Following the American Cancer Society’s guidelines for the early detection of breast cancer improves the chances that breast cancer can be diagnosed at an early stage and treated successfully.
Women age 40 and older should have a screening mammography every year.
Mammography
A mammography is an x-ray of the breast, Screening mammography is used to look for breast disease in women who are asymptomatic; that is, they appear to have no breast problems. It usually involves 2 views (x-ray pictures) of each breast. For some patients, such as women with breast implants, additional pictures may be needed to include as much breast tissue as possible.
Some women are afraid for the radiation received on these examinations, but modern mammography equipment designed for breast x-rays uses very low levels of radiation –in perspective one mammogram exposes a woman to roughly the same amount of radiation as flying from New York to California on a commercial jet–
For a mammogram, the breast is pressed between 2 plates to flatten and spread the tissue. Although this may be uncomfortable for a moment, it is necessary to produce a good, “readable” mammogram.
The compression only lasts a few seconds, and the entire procedure for screening mammography takes about 20 minutes. This procedure produces a black and white image of the breast tissue on a large sheet of film that is read, or interpreted, by a radiologist.
Mammography is less effective in younger women, usually because their breasts are dense, which can hide a tumor. Since most breast cancers occur in older women, this is not a major problem. But it is for young women who have a genetic risk factor for breast cancer. Breast cancer often develops at a younger age in these women. For this reason, some doctors are now suggesting MRI in addition to mammograms for screening in this situation.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women, with an estimated of 211,240 new cases and 40,410 deaths annually.
We are committed to helping women detect breast cancer at its earliest stages, even before you may notice symptoms yourself. Fortunately, the ability to be cured is greater than ever, thanks to educational programs, aggressive screening techniques such as mammograms, the most advanced diagnostic technology, a dedicated staff of highly experienced professionals and a multidisciplinary approach to treatment.
One of the reasons regular mammograms are so helpful is that they allow the radiologist who inspects them to note any changes in your breast over time. If you move or change physicians, you need to make sure that you know where your past mammograms are stored.
Keep a list showing the dates of your mammograms and the place where each was performed. It is important to obtain the films from the previous facilities so that they are available to the radiologist when you have your next mammogram.
We combine the most advanced technology with the warmth of personalized care — all in one convenient, close-to-home location. Our convenient location and flexible hours make it easier for you to take advantage of our screening programs. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please call 226-2080. We want you to know you can count on us for all your breast care needs.
The earlier breast cancer is detected, the better the chances of successful treatment and survival.
Dr. Alvarez received his MD degree from the University of Monterrey in Monterrey, MX, and completed his radiology residence at Hospital San Jose – Monterrey Tech, where he built a reputation as a leader in the field of women‘s imaging. At present, he is working as Chief of Diagnostic Radiology Department at the AMERIMED American Hospitals & Medical Centers. Email: ralvarez@amerimed-hospitals.com
