Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women in The Bahamas. It is estimated that one in eight women will be affected.
In 2000, breast cancer was the leading cause of cancer in patient morbidity at the Princess Margaret Hospital. Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease and its cause is unknown. However, there are known factors which increase the risk of developing the disease.
Breast Cancer Risk Factors
Positive test for the BRCA-1 gene mutation
Personal history of breast cancer
Family history of breast cancer
Biopsy showing abnormal duct cells
Personal history of cancer of ovary, endometrium or colon
Obesity
No pregnancies or first pregnancy after age 30
Early puberty (before age 12) , late menopause, (after 52)
Over 50 years of age
Hormone replacement therapy (longer than 5 years)
The way to combat the disease is to detect it before it has progressed to the advanced stage. The rationale for this approach is due to the observation that women with smaller tumors have a considerable better survival rate than do women with advance breast cancer.
Removal of the tumour before it is felt provides the window for curing the disease. You must detect the tumor before you feel it. To feel a lump is to have waited too long.
Properly performed and interpreted mammography at repeated regular intervals has been proven to be effective in finding most breast cancers in the pre-clinical, non-palpable phase. Mammography is the best screening method for early detection of breast cancer. Mammography screening has proven to reduce breast cancer deaths by 30%-40%.
Mammography involves taking two x-ray pictures of each breast. If a patient has dense breasts or to clarify a lesion seen on the mammogram, a patient will be asked to have an ultrasound. Ultrasound complements mammography and is extremely useful to verify the existence of a lesion. Every woman who presents, having felt a lump must have an ultrasound along with a mammogram.
Recommendations from the American Cancer Society
Monthly breast self examination beginning at age 20
Annual physical exam by a health care provider beginning at age 30
Annual Mammograms from age 40
If high risk she may start at 30 or 10 years before the age found in family relative
Even though a mammogram cannot protect you from having breast cancer, it can pick it up early to help save your life.
Is it time for your annual mammogram?
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women in The Bahamas. It is estimated that one in eight women will be affected.
In 2000, breast cancer was the leading cause of cancer in patient morbidity at the Princess Margaret Hospital. Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease and its cause is unknown. However, there are known factors which increase the risk of developing the disease.
Breast Cancer Risk Factors
The way to combat the disease is to detect it before it has progressed to the advanced stage. The rationale for this approach is due to the observation that women with smaller tumors have a considerable better survival rate than do women with advance breast cancer.
Removal of the tumour before it is felt provides the window for curing the disease. You must detect the tumor before you feel it. To feel a lump is to have waited too long.
Properly performed and interpreted mammography at repeated regular intervals has been proven to be effective in finding most breast cancers in the pre-clinical, non-palpable phase. Mammography is the best screening method for early detection of breast cancer. Mammography screening has proven to reduce breast cancer deaths by 30%-40%.
Mammography involves taking two x-ray pictures of each breast. If a patient has dense breasts or to clarify a lesion seen on the mammogram, a patient will be asked to have an ultrasound. Ultrasound complements mammography and is extremely useful to verify the existence of a lesion. Every woman who presents, having felt a lump must have an ultrasound along with a mammogram.
Recommendations from the American Cancer Society
Even though a mammogram cannot protect you from having breast cancer, it can pick it up early to help save your life.
Source: Walk-In Medical Clinic, Nassau, Bahamas