“All women need to be informed by
their health care provider
about the best screening options for them”.1

Umbrella

What may the Breast Cancer Screening Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

  • Breast Cancer (Female) Screening
  • Breast Cancer Early Detection
  • Breast Cancer Screening
  • Breast Screening
  • Breast X-Ray Screening

Cancer Screening

What is cancer screening?

DotS the definition of cancer screening may vary. In Breast Cancer Screening (PDQ)–Patient Version: What Is Screening? the (United States) National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) definition is:

“Screening is looking for signs of disease, such as breast cancer, before a person has symptoms. The goal of screening tests is to find cancer at an early stage when it can be treated and may be cured”.2

Breast Cancer Screening

What is breast cancer screening?

DotS the definition of breast screening may vary. In Breast Cancer: Screening for Breast Cancer – Overview the (United States) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) definition is:

“Breast cancer screening means checking a woman’s breasts for cancer before there are signs or symptoms of the disease”.2

Types of Tests

What are types of breast cancer screening tests?

In Breast Cancer: Screening for Breast Cancer – Types of Tests the CDC elaborate on:

  • “Mammograms…
  • Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)…
  • Other exams
    • Clinical breast exam…
    • Breast self-awareness…”.3

Mammogram

What is a mammogram?

In Mammography: What Is A Mammogram? the (United States) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) elaborate on:

“A mammogram is a low-dose x-ray picture of the breast. Mammograms are the best primary screening tool to find breast cancer. Ask your health care provider if and when a mammogram is right for you”.4

How is a mammogram performed?

In Mammography: Summary [+ Image] the (United States) MedlinePlus elaborate on:

“When you have a mammogram, you stand in front of an x-ray machine. The person who takes the x-rays places your breast between two plastic plates. The plates press your breast and make it flat. This may be uncomfortable, but it helps get a clear picture”.5

Mammogram and Breast Implants

Are regular mammograms required with breast implants?

In Mammograms for Women With Breast Implants the American Cancer Society (ACS) note:

“If you have breast implants, you should still get regular screening mammograms. It’s important to tell the technologist about your implants before you go to your appointment”.6

Can mammograms rupture breast implants?

In Mammograms for Women With Breast Implants: Can Mammograms Rupture Breast Implants? the ACS also explain:

“Very rarely, the mammogram process can rupture an implant. This is another important reason to make sure the mammography facility knows you have implants”.7

Clinical Breast Exam

What is a clinical breast exam (CBE)?

In Breast Cancer Screening (PDQ)–Patient Version: Breast Cancer Screening – Other Screening Tests Have Been or Are Being Studies In Clinical Trials: Clinical Breast Exam the NCI elaborate on:

“A clinical breast exam is an exam of the breast by a doctor or other health professional. He or she will carefully feel the breasts and under the arms for lumps or anything else that seems unusual. It is not known if having clinical breast exams decreases the chance of dying from breast cancer”.8

The NCI also note:

“Breast self-exams may be done by women or men to check their breasts for lumps or other changes. If you feel any lumps or notice any other changes in your breasts, talk to your doctor. Doing regular breast self-exams has not been shown to decrease the chance of dying from breast cancer”.9

Start

When may women start having regular breast cancer screening?

Depending on You (DoY), DotS and/or Depending on Your Country’s (DoyC’s) breast cancer screening program, when women may start having regular breast screening can vary. It may therefore be in your best interest to choose to check what’s-what for you.

Breast Cancer Screening

How Often

How often may women have regular breast cancer screening?

DoY, DotS and/or DoYC’s breast screening program, how often women may have regular breast cancer screening can vary. It may therefore be in your best interest to choose to check what’s-what for you.

Stop

When may women stop having regular breast cancer screening?

DoY, DotS and/or DoYC’s breast screening program, when women may stop having regular breast cancer screening can vary. It may therefore be in your best interest to choose to check what’s-what for you.

Screening Programs

Where may women find information about breast cancer screening or early detection programs?

Women may find information about breast cancer screening or early detection programs from their health care provider or their country’s equivalent of a local community health center, national and/or state Department/Center/Institute of Aging/Cancer/Disease Control and Prevention/Health/Human Services.

Find free and low-cost breast and cervical cancer screenings in your area – National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection ProgramYour country may have a breast cancer early detection program similar to the (United States) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) program.

In National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP): Find A Screening Program Near You – What To Know the CDC elaborate on:

“CDC’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) provides breast and cervical cancer screenings and diagnostic services to women who have low incomes and are uninsured or underinsured”.10

Health Care Provider

What are the best breast cancer screening options for me?

In Breast Cancer: Screening for Breast Cancer – Overview the CDC explain:

“All women need to be informed by their health care provider about the best screening options for them. When you are told about the benefits and risks of screening and decide with your health care provider whether screening is right for you—and if so, when to have it—this is called informed and shared decision-making”.11

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to Breast Cancer Screening?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Links

Where may I find Links related to Breast Cancer Screening?

Your Country may have Links similar to:

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. Breast Cancer: Screening for Breast Cancer – Overview. 30 April 2024. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/breast-cancer/screening/ Accessed: 07 July 2024
  2. Breast Cancer: Screening for Breast Cancer – Overview. 30 April 2024. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/breast-cancer/screening/ Accessed: 07 July 2024
  3. Breast Screening: What Is Breast Screening? Last Reviewed: 26 May 2023. Cancer Research UK https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/breast-cancer/getting-diagnosed/screening/breast-screening Accessed: 07 July 2024
  4. Mammography: What Is A Mammogram? Content Current As of: 29 September 2023. Food and Drug Administration https://www.fda.gov/consumers/womens-health-topics/mammography Accessed: 07 July 2024
  5. Mammography: Summary. Last Updated: 12 February 2024. MedlinePlus https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mammography.html Accessed: 07 July 2024
  6. Mammograms for Women With Breast Implants. Last Revised: 14 January 2022. American Cancer Society https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/breast-cancer/screening-tests-and-early-detection/mammograms/mammograms-for-women-with-breast-implants.html Accessed: 07 July 2024
  7. Mammograms for Women With Breast Implants: Can Mammograms Rupture Breast Implants? Last Revised: 14 January 2022. American Cancer Society https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/breast-cancer/screening-tests-and-early-detection/mammograms/mammograms-for-women-with-breast-implants.html Accessed: 07 July 2024
  8. Breast Cancer Screening (PDQ)–Patient Version: Breast Cancer Screening – Other Screening Tests Have Been or Are Being Studies In Clinical Trials: Breast Exams. Updated: 26 June 2023. National Cancer Institute https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/patient/breast-screening-pdq#section/_13 Accessed: 07 July 2024
  9. Breast Cancer Screening (PDQ)–Patient Version: Breast Cancer Screening – Other Screening Tests Have Been or Are Being Studies In Clinical Trials: Breast Exams. Updated: 26 June 2023. National Cancer Institute https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/patient/breast-screening-pdq#section/_13 Accessed: 07 July 2024
  10. National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP): Find A Screening Program Near You – What To Know. 10 January 2024. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/breast-cervical-cancer-screening/about/screenings.html Accessed: 07 July 2024
  11. Breast Cancer: Screening for Breast Cancer – Overview. 30 April 2024. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/breast-cancer/screening/ Accessed: 07 July 2024
Topic Last Updated: 07 July 2024 – Topic Last Reviewed: 07 July 2024

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