Breast Cancer Treatment Bangalore | Dr. Murali Subramanian has explained the importance of mammograms in the prevention of breast cancer in this blog. Thank you for the overwhelming messages all of you have been sending me. It motivates me to provide more and more information. This is Dr. Murali Subramanian, Best Medical Oncologist in Bangalore. I have received several queries regarding the prevention and tests of breast cancer. Hence, I have decided to talk about mammograms today and if every woman should take this test.
Time and again I have stressed on the need to finding breast cancer early and subsequently getting the right treatment. This can prevent deaths from breast cancer. We have seen over the years that breast tumour, if detected early, when it’s small and not spread to different parts, is easier to treat with successful results.
Hence I recommend getting regular screening tests, as it is the most reliable way to find breast cancer early.
What are the screening tests?
Before experiencing any symptoms,it is possible to detect tumours in the breast,if you go for regular screening. Screening in simple terms refer to tests used to find a disease in patients who don’t have any symptoms. Early detectionrefers to finding and diagnosing a disease earlier than if you waited for symptoms to start.
When we find presence of a tumour in breasts during screening, it is usually small and confined to the breast. Doctors usually consider the size of a breast tumour and how far it has spread to predict the prognosis.
We recommend women between 40 and 44 to start getting screened with a mammogram every year.
Women between 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year.
Women 55 and older can choose to mammogram every other year, or they can choose to continue yearly mammograms.
All of you who is considering going for mammogram must be aware of the procedure and know what the tests can do.
Mammograms
Mammograms are a screening test for breast cancer in which low-dose x-rays are used for detection of tumours. If you can get a mammogram done every year, it can help find breast cancer at an early stage. At this stage it is easier to treat cancer. A mammogram has been beneficial in detecting early tumours. According to a study conducted over decades of research it has been found that women who have regular mammograms are more likely to have breast cancer found early. These women are less likely to need aggressive treatment like surgery to remove the breast and chemotherapy, and are more likely to be cured.
Remember that just like other tests, Mammograms are not perfect. They have missed some cancers. Also, doctors may suggest additional tests to confirm the results. Have you heard of over diagnosis? You might be diagnosed with a cancer that never would have caused any problems had it not been found during screening. I am telling you all this as it is important for women getting mammograms to know what to expect and understand the benefits and limitations of the test.
Recently, a new type of mammogram called digital breast tomosynthesis or 3D mammography has become much moe popular. You can check with your doctor if they do provide this test and if this is the right choice for you.
It is seen that 3D mammography appears to lower the chance of being again having to go back for follow-up testing. It also appears to find more breast cancers.
3D mammograms often cost more than 2D mammograms and that needs to be considered too before deciding.
Clinical breast exam and breast self-exam
By now I hope all of you are aware of the benefit of regular physical breast exams done by either a doctor or by women themselves. It is seen that breast cancer is detected after a woman finds a certain abnormality in her breast, usually not during a proper routine self-examination but when they were having a bath or dressing. I would like to stress here that women should be aware of how their breasts normally look and feel and if they find anything out of the ordinary, any small changes or signs, they should consult a doctor without further delay.
While you can visit a doctor for regular check-ups, a self-examination at home is also recommended. I hope I have answered most of your queries. Please feel free to write to me in case you need details on more specific topics. I will try to answer all of you.