By Shannon Deines, radiology operations manager
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but women need to be conscious of their breast health all year long. The American Cancer Society estimated that more than 310,000 women would receive a diagnosis of breast cancer in 2024. The rate of deaths from breast cancer has declined over the last 40 years, but recently that decline has slowed. Breast cancer is still the second-leading cause of death in women.
Women should pay attention to their breasts so they can be aware of any change. Breast self-exams can be an important part of maintaining breast health, along with routine screening mammograms. Here are 3 things to know for breast health:
Perform regular breast self-exams
Perform regular breast self-exams, which are the examination of your breasts on your own. Breast self-exam is an important tool to become familiar with your breasts and may help find breast cancer early. Here’s what you need to know to do breast self-exams correctly.
1. Perform the exam at the same time every month.
2. Look at your breasts in a mirror, with your hands at your sides, then above your head. Look for
swelling, redness or skin dimpling.
3. Use the pads of your fingers to feel for unusual changes around your breasts and armpits. Look
and feel for lumps, hardened knots or other changes.
4. Examine both breast and armpit areas while standing up and lying down. Use a circular motion
around the breast, then up and down covering the entire breast.
5. Gently squeeze each nipple looking for discharge.
Get annual 3D mammogram screenings
Routine mammograms can detect cancers at earlier, more treatable stages, resulting in higher survival rates. The American Cancer Society reports the 5-year survival rate for breast cancer is 99% when diagnosed in its earliest stages and is still contained to the breast. And the best way to catch breast cancer early is through routine screenings.
Mammograms can find breast cancer long before you or your doctor would be able to feel a lump in your breast. Even with good breast self-exams, you may not feel changes in your breast until the lump is sizable. Some breast cancers present as calcifications as small as a grain of sand. These can’t be felt in a physical exam but can be seen on a mammogram.
Don’t skip your annual mammogram. A study published in the journal Radiology in 2021 showed that skipping even one yearly mammogram can significantly increase your risk of dying from breast cancer.
Properly prepare for your mammogram
When you go in for your annual mammogram, it’s important to be properly prepared so the technologist can get the best image for the radiologist to read. Here are some tips to make your mammogram easier:
You can shower the day of your mammogram, but do not use deodorant or powders.
Wear a two-piece outfit because you will only need to remove your top and bra for the mammogram.
Discuss any concerns with your technologist so they can share them with the radiologist.
Schedule your annual mammogram at the same location each year if possible. This makes year-to-year comparisons easier. If you can’t schedule at the same location, try to have previous mammogram images sent from your previous location to the new one.
If you experience occasional breast tenderness, schedule your mammogram for a time of the month when they are least tender.
Most women will find the procedure uncomfortable but not painful. Taking an over-the-counter pain medication before or after the mammogram can help.
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