Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines

USPSTF guidelines for screening for breast cancer

If you have been vigilant in your breast examination and mammography personal There may come a time when a lump or suspicious area is found. The first thing that will probably happen is that you'll have another mammogram. USPSTF breast cancer screening guidelines This time it's called a diagnostic mammogram and it will focus on the suspect area. You can also get an ultrasound, with is painless and can often mean the difference quickly between benign and malignant tumors.

According to the results of previous tests, doctors may recommend a biopsy next. A biopsy a small piece of the lump for microscopic examination. It is the best way to ascertain whether breast cancer is present. The biopsy may take many forms of surgery for a fine needle, which is not much worse than getting a shot. It depends on the nature and location of the mass. Your doctor will decide the type of biopsy is the best in your case.

Once the biopsy sample is retrieved, a pathologist study and characterize. If cancer is found, it is further classified in different ways to identify its size and strength. The mass will be tested for the presence of estrogen and progesterone special. If present, the cancer can be treated by hormone therapy. Another receptor called HER-2/neu is also sought. Other therapies are directed and cancer with this receptor.

Lung Cancer Secrets Revealed Click Here

At this stage, the patient is "staged." Stages of breast cancer are complex, but here is a simplified description:

Stage 0 - abnormal cells are found in the lining of a gland in the breast. This is indicative of a cancer coming, but not representative of cancer present.

Phase I - The first stage where the tumor is less than 2 cm in diameter and is contained in the chest.

Phase II - Early stage when the tumor is either: a. Less than 2 cm. everywhere and in both breast and lymph nodes under the arm B. between 2 and 5 cm. and may be in the breast or breast and lymph nodes under the arm C. More than 5 cm. and only in the chest

Stage III - advanced breast cancer where: a. The tumor is less than five cm. everywhere, in both breasts and lymph nodes under the arm B. The cancer is important in the lymph nodes under the arm. C. The cancer is in lymph nodes or other tissues near the sternum. During Phase III, your doctor will check for signs of metastatic disease. When her cancer "metastases", it has spread from the breast / lymph nodes in other distant organs of the body. These tests take the form of chest radiographs and CT and bone scan.

Stage IV - metastatic breast cancer where the cancer has spread to other organs.

Almost all victims of breast cancer have some type of surgery to remove as much cancerous tumor as possible. No matter how successful, most will probably be subject to a chemotherapy regimen as well. This kills any microscopic pieces of the disease which may remain to develop into full-fledged cancer again. Other therapies such as radiation therapy (radiotherapy), hormone therapy or biological therapy may be banned.

Once treated, patients of breast cancer should be monitored for recurrence. Initially, this means every 3-4 months. These become less frequent, but annual mammograms are even more important for the former patients of breast cancer than in normal population.