How often should women get examined for this and what exactly should someone be looking for?
It worries me so much because its in my family.
Breast exam should be a part of you annual body exam by your health professional. For women who have family history of breast cancer, mammograms are must after age 30. Between exams, women should do a regular self exam of their breasts. The best time to examine your breasts is usually one week after your menstrual period begins, when your breast tissue is least likely to be swollen or tender
Here is the link to ACS with very useful info.
my mom was first diagnosed with breast cancer in spring of 2001 and it reappeared spring of 2009. I have a HUGE fear of getting breast cancer but she's one of 14 kids and no one else has had cancer in the family so that gives me a good outlook.
Anyhow mammograms never caught her breast cancer she had them yearly and always noticed her own lumps and would call attention to it. so i think there's no harm in doing a self examination for them and most insurances cover it for your doctor to perform one during your self examination.
They also say women with a family history should take their mothers age, minus 10 years and at that age they should get a yearly mammogram performed. Before then there should be no need. But like i said just be proactive and check yourself, after all we know our bodies best of all?
Inshallah you never get breast cancer, I can understand the worries you may have.
Re: Breast Cancer
if you know that you have a family history of it, then monthly self examination should be part of your routine. do it the same time every month, (for example the 5th of every month), preferbly after your period, because how the breast tissue feels changes according to the hormonal changes in the body. this way you will be aware of the changes in your own breast and will know if anything is amiss. if you suspect a lump that hasn’t gone away in a couple of months, then get it checked out by a physician.
mammograms are also very important. if you have a family history of mother, sister, aunty having it, then you should tell your physician that, and they will recommend you for a mammogram quiet early on than recommended for patients without a history. this is starting in the early 20’s, vs women in 40’s, especially post-menopausal.
check this website out as to how to perform a self-examination
Re: Breast Cancer
My doctor does an exam for me everytime I go for my annual. A while back, she taught me how to do a self exam at home and told me to do one once a month, but recently she told me that they no longer tell women to do it every month anymore, because it just makes them overly stressed and anxious or something like that --unless you have a history of breast exam or any reason to be at risk. So now I just get the annual test done by her when I go every summer for my checkup
PSquared, if you've never done it and dont know what to look for, the best thing would be to have your doctor show you how. They have moulds for you to feel, so you know what types of lumps to be looking for and whats normal. Reading up on it helps as well, but to actually be able to see and feel is different, as it gives you a better understanding
Re: Breast Cancer
At least 90,000 women suffer from breast cancer in Pakistan every year, said University of Health Sciences controller of examinations.
MYTHS
This is not true:
- Breast cancer only affects older women.
- If breast cancer does not run in your family, you will not risk it.
- Only your mother’s family history of breast cancer can affect your risk
- Breast cancer is a contagious disease.
- Breast cancer can be a result of a curse/evil eye.
- Breast feeding increases the chance of breast cancer