A Guide to Breast Cancer Screening

Breast cancer is a very real danger to all women, and as complacent as one might feel, the sooner you diagnose this disease, the more chance there is of a full recovery. The best way to do this is to carry out breast self-examination on a regular basis, as early detection is by far the best remedy for this type of cancer. There is a total of four different ways to test for breast cancer, each of which is detailed in this article.

1. Self-Examination – No one knows your breasts as well as you do, and by conducting thorough and regular breast examinations, your chances of an early detection are greatly increased. If, for example, you would like to learn more about breast cancer testing in Singapore, there are online clinics that can carry out effective tests for a reasonable cost. If you really want to carry out breast self-examination, this should be done once a month, and is recommended for women of all ages. Try to resist the temptation to think it is a waste of time, and by making a firm commitment to carrying out monthly checks for lumps or other abnormalities, you are ensuring an early diagnosis, should the disease affect you.
2. Clinical Breast Examination –This would be carried out by your doctor or health care provider and it involves a very thorough inspection of your breasts by an expert. They will ask you many questions about your personal history, along with details of any pregnancies or period abnormalities, and also family medical history.
3. Mammogram – This is a very effective way to screen for breast cancer, as it can detect the presence of cancer cells before there are any visible signs, and is effectively an x-ray image of the breast tissue. It can detect cysts, tumours and calcifications, and once the screening data has been captured, a specialist would take a look at the results. Prior to having a mammogram, you will need to remove all jewellery and clothing from your upper torso, and it is also advised not to use any deodorant on that day, as this can affect the results of the test.
4. Breast Tissue Biopsy – If a lump if discovered, the only way to be really sure it is not benign is to carry out a breast tissue biopsy. If your physician recommends such a test, then it is the best way to discover if there are any cancerous cells present, and if it makes you feel any better, the majority of tests reveal no sign of the disease.

For every woman, the threat of breast cancer is very real, and while some family history might increase the chances of contracting breast cancer, it seems to attack women at random. If you are not giving yourself a regular examination, it would be wise to source a reliable clinic and have some tests carried out, as this is the only way to ensure an early diagnosis.