How to diagnose breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. Among the causes of death for women, breast cancer accounts 3% of the overall rate. The rate was at 4% in the 1980's. Due to advancement in technology, early diagnosis of the breast cancer was made possible.

Early, improved and more effective treatment of breast cancer lessened the death rate among women. But breast cancer is not only experienced by women for some men have been diagnosed to have breast cancer too. The incidence rate of breast cancer is lower at a younger age. As women grow older to about fifty, the incidence rate increases to about 50%.

Importance of early diagnosis

At the start, breast cancer is painless. Some women are not aware that they already have the disease. It is only later on when physical changes are evident that they undergo medical examination to find out what might have caused the physical changes. Self-physical examination of the breasts and the surrounding area may help in the early diagnosis of breast cancer. Even though self-physical examination is advised, it should be done properly so as not to trigger breast cancer itself.

Symptoms of breast cancer

There are several symptoms of breast cancer that every woman should watch. During self-physical examination, conduct visual inspection of the surrounding area of the breast.

• Take note of any changes in the skin's texture and the shape and contour of the breasts. Observe the nipple for some color changes especially in the areola.

• A bloody or clear discharge from the nipple is another symptom. Scaly or retracted nipple and elevated or asymmetric breasts should be noted too.

After doing the visual inspection, manual examination is done to check for some lumps or thickness or masses of tissue. Manual examination is done in standing and lying down position.

• A lump or a mass near the breast or the underarm area must not be ignored. This is the most common symptom of breast cancer and most terminal breast cancer started with a simple mass of tissue.

• Aside from self-examination which may indicate the first sign of breast cancer, mammogram can determine whether a woman has some cancerous mass or not.

When one of the symptoms is observed, there is a need for immediate medical assistance. A lump or mass of tissue can be cancerous. Early detection has helped medical practitioners to combat the disease and significantly reduced the death rate in women. A specialized doctor conducts additional testing to verify whether the lump of mass is really cancerous or not.

Palpitation and Ultrasonography

Other examinations that can be conducted are through palpitation and ultrasonography. Through palpitation, medical practitioner can tell the size of the lump and its texture. Check the lump whether it moves slowly with the palpitation. With ultrasonography, high-frequency side waves are used to locate the lump and show whether the lump is solid or filled with liquid. Doctors may decide to remove the lump once detected. The lump is then studied to determine whether the lump is cancerous or not. This process is called biopsy.

After thorough study of the removed tissue, medical practitioners then can initiate the proper treatment if presence cancerous cells are detected.