Women's Health Screening Series: Breast Cancer

                         
 We are happy to embark on a new series! The Women's Health Screening Series will be a 3 part series that explains the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE and WHY of important health screenings for today's woman. (For our male readers: don't worry this pertains to you too because you can share your new found knowledge with the women in your life!) Screenings are a vital part of leading a healthy lifestyle because your doctor can catch a disease in the early stages when there is still a good chance to cure it. There is a lot of different information out there on who should get screened for what and when. Most of the information will be based on the United States Preventative Task Force recommendations (USPSTF). We will break it down for you in a way that is both short and sweet.

First up is the most widely discussed female cancer, BREAST CANCER.

 

WHO should get screened for breast cancer?

•  All Women should get screened for breast cancer no matter your race or ethnicity!

WHAT does breast cancer screening entail?

•  Breast cancer screening entails self breast exams, clinical breast exams and mammography.
• Self breast exams: I personally do not discourage women from doing monthly breast self exams (BSE), although it is no longer recommended that doctors teach their patients to do self breast exams because adequate evidence suggests that BSE do not reduce breast cancer mortality.
• Clinical breast exams: these are exams preformed by your doctor.
• Mammography: mammograms are low-dose X-rays that can find a lump before you even know it's there, though normal results don’t completely rule out cancer. Mammograms are the BEST way to screen for breast cancer.

WHEN should women get screened for breast cancer?

• While you are in your 20s and 30s, your doctor may preform clinical breast exams once every 1-3 years.
• Women 40 and above should have a mammogram yearly, however some women who have family members with breast cancer may be at a higher risk. These women should talk to their doctors about the possibility of starting screening mammography at a younger age.
• The USPSTF recommends screening mammography for women aged 50 to 74 years every 2 years.

WHERE can women get screened for breast cancer?

• Your primary care physician's office is a great resource and often a 1 stop shop for many screenings.
• If you do not have insurance here are some other options:
• CDC's National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) provides access to breast and cervical cancer screening services to underserved women in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, 5 U.S. territories, and 11 tribes.
• Also, look out for health fairs in your area that may offer free breast cancer screenings
• Contact your local health department to see if they offer any free screening resources.

WHY should women get screened for breast cancer?

• Breast cancer is the 2nd most common cancer in women in the USA, only coming in second to non-melanoma skin cancer. It is also one of the leading causes of cancer death among women of all races. 
• Here is the most recent data we have from the CDC, in 2009:

• 211,731 women in the United States were diagnosed with breast cancer.
• 40,676 women in the United States died from breast cancer.

So please tell your mother, daughters and friends to get screened and if you are a mother, daughter or friend don't forget to get yourself screened too!