How is breast cancer diagnosed?
Medical professionals now have an extensive array of tools at their disposal to make diagnosis of breast cancer more reliable, especially in the early stages. That’s great news, since it considerably increases the odds of keeping breast cancer down to the level of ‘serious but not permanently scarring or life-threatening’. Diagnosis will usually start with a clinical exam. The physician will perform a hands-on breast examination similar to the self-exam that is recommended for all women over age 19. Cancerous lumps generally feel harder and less mobile than benign cysts. Cancer tumors are frequently irregular while non-cancerous lumps tend to be round. A trained professional can often tell the difference. A mammogram will help confirm the diagnosis. Modern digital mammograms are often computer assisted. Detection of tumors is aided by complex algorithms that do a good job of differentiating suspect image sections. This new tool greatly enhances the ability to eliminate false positives
The American College of Radiology (ACR) has established the Breast Imaging Reporting and Database System (BI-RADS) to guide the breast cancer diagnostic process. Often, breast cancer is first detected by mammogram. If the radiologist notices a suspicious area on the mammogram, he or she may refer the patient for additional testing such as diagnostic mammography, special mammography views, breast ultrasound, MR scan, T-scan, or sestamibi. After further breast imaging, patients with suspicious lesions may be referred for a breast biopsy to determine whether breast cancer is present.
One of the first steps in finding breast cancer is usually a mammogram. The results of a mammogram can show signs of a tumor. If the doctor thinks the mammogram results are suspicious, he or she can suggest diagnostic exams such as an ultrasound or a biopsy. An ultrasound can often tell the difference between a fluid-filled cyst (usually not cancerous) and a solid tumor. A biopsy, which is when some tissue from the tumor or cyst is removed and examined in a lab, can determine if the woman has cancer or not. Some biopsies are done with a needle while others are done with surgery. • Can breast cancer be prevented? Women can make changes in their lives to reduce the chance of getting breast cancer. However, breast cancer is usually not considered truly preventable. The best way to fight breast cancer is to find it early by getting regular mammograms and clinical breast exams. When found at its earliest stage, breast cancer has over a 95 percent five-year survival rate. Studies are current
If you or your doctor find unusual changes in your breast, further tests will be carried out to determine if you have breast cancer. These include: • Diagnostic mammography. Diagnostic mammography uses the same technique as screening mammography. However, in this case it helps determine whether the breast changes or abnormalities that you or your doctor has found are breast cancer. • Ultrasound. This is a painless test that uses sound waves to create a picture of the breast tissue on a small screen similar to a television. Ultrasound is often used for young women whose breasts are too dense to give a clear picture with mammography. It is also used to see if a breast lump is solid or contains fluid. • Fine needle aspiration. A very thin needle is inserted into the breast and a sample of cells is removed. Ultrasound or x-ray may be used to guide the needle to the area of the breast that is being examined. The cells are examined to see if they are cancer cells. • Core biopsy. A needle is
