Breast Cancer, Early detection, Detection, Prognosis, clinical breast exam, Breast Cancer prevention, Breast Cancer Symptoms, Mammograms, Lumpectomy, Chemotherapy, Radiation, Hormone therapy Early detection for breast cancer can save life.

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Thursday December 7, 2006 Early breast cancer detection can save life Renalie Reagan diginetXpress If people can't prevent cancer, the next best thing they can do to protect their health is to detect it early. Recognizing symptoms, getting regular check-ups, and performing self-exams are just a few things they can do. According to Breast Cancer Organization (BCO), women in their 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam (CBE as part of a periodic regular health exam by a health professional, preferably every three years. Starting at age 40, women should have a CBE by a health professional every year. Research shown that Breast Self Exam (BSE) plays a small role in finding breast cancer compared with finding a breast lump by chance or simply being aware of what is normal for each woman. Some women feel very comfortable doing BSE regularly usually monthly. This involves a systematic step-by-step approach to examining the look and feel of one's breasts. Other women are more comfortable simply feeling their breasts in a less systematic approach, such as while showering or getting dressed or doing an occasional thorough exam. Sometimes, women are so concerned about "doing it right" that they become stressed over the technique. Doing BSE regularly is one way for women to know how their breasts normally look and feel and to notice any changes. The goal, with or without BSE, is to report any breast changes to a doctor or nurse right away. Gloria Lahijani, a five-year breast cancer survivor, said she discovered a lump on her breast after she went for her annual well-woman check-up. Her doctor recommended that she needed to get a mammogram in order to confirm if she had cancer. Gloria's early detection of having breast cancer probably saved her life from the deadly disease. Different types of treatment for breast cancer are available to assist patients. Breast self-examination is an option for women starting in their 20s. Women should be told about the benefits and limitations of BSE. Women should report any breast changes to their health professional right away. Women age 40 and older should have a mammogram every year and should continue to do so for as long as they are in good health. The goal of screening exams for early breast cancer detection is to find cancers before they start to cause symptoms. Screening refers to tests and exams used to find a disease, such as cancer, in people who do not have any symptoms. Early detection means using an approach that allows earlier diagnosis of breast cancer than otherwise might have occurred. Breast cancers that are found because they are causing symptoms tend to be larger and are more likely to have already spread beyond the breast. In contrast, breast cancers found during screening exams are more likely to be smaller 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 or outlook of a woman with this disease. Finding a breast cancer as early as possible allows for more treatment options and greatly improves the likelihood that treatment will be successful. Many studies have shown that early detection tests for breast cancer saves many thousands of lives each year. There is no question that many more lives could be saved if even more women and their health care providers took advantage of these tests. Early detection can save lives. My grandmother died from breast cancer and if only we have been educated enough about the disease we could have extend my grandmother's life.