Author : Nitin Soni
There are many different forms of cancer which people are now being diagnosed with and one of the most treatable of them is breast cancer. However in order for it be treated effectively then it is important that the disease is detected in its early stages of formation. In fact because there are a number of different ways in which this form of cancer can be detected it is considered to be a favorable form of cancer that can be treated and the person cured.
When it comes to detecting cancer of the breast in its early stages is by doing a breast examination or using a mammography as these are the more favored methods. In fact in studies carried out the smaller the breast cancer once it has been detected then there is a much higher chance the person with it will survive.
As we are now learning through our doctors and through advertisements it is important that women learn how to carry out regular examinations of their breasts for themselves. The reason for this being is that they will be much more aware of any changes that have taken place since the last time they checked them. Also it is important for those women who have a history in their family of women suffering from breast cancer to have a regular mammogram test. By doing this they will be assured that the disease can be detected at the earliest stages of growth as possible. In fact today these forms of examination as used as the basis for detecting any form of breast cancer in women.
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 mammogram uses an x ray machine which is then able to detect cancer in a woman's or even sometimes in men's breasts. These machines are able to detect the cancer at its earliest stage when it is very small and would not be detected using the more traditional breast examination.
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.
Although using mammography does help to detect breast cancer in its very early stages in most women there are some around 10%-15% of women that this method of detecting this form of cancer can not help. So it is extremely important that all women learn the right way for carrying out a self examination of their breasts and what are the main signs to look for. It is preferable for a woman to carry out her own self examination as she will be more aware of any changes that take place in her body each month. Yet if she does not feel that she is able to carry out the examination properly or she has discovered something untoward then it is important that she arranges for her doctor to carry out a physical examination as well.
