As most of you know October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month. However, that knowledge must translate into action if it is going to be meaningful. When was the last time you looked at your breasts and did a self-breast examination? When was the last time a physician examined your breasts? If you are 40 years old, when was your last mammogram? I hope the answer to the first question, was within the past month and the answer to the last two questions were within the past year. If this is true for you then I hope the same is true for your female relatives and your friends.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women, except for skin cancer. In 2009, it is estimated that over forty thousand women will die from breast cancer. The good news is that there are over 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the United States. The primary reason for the reduction in breast cancer mortality is early detection. If discovered early, most breast cancers can be treated successfully.
There are three major methods for the early detection of breast cancer:
1. Know your body. You need to feel comfortable exploring your body. In my practice, the most common reason my patients give has to do with being afraid of discovering something or lack of knowledge. The fear of early discovery has to be superceded by the fear of the actual disease when we choose to behave like the ostrich and put our heads in the sand. If your reason has to do with not knowing how to perform the exam, a visit to the American Cancer Society website at http://www.cancer.org from your home computer or using computers available in your local library will provide you with the necessary instructions on how to perform self-breast exams. Dilly-dallying about getting the information that you definitely need however should not prevent you from being vigilant about the changes in your body, and scheduling and visiting a visit to your doctor immediately to have the noticed changes evaluated.
2. You should have a physician examine your breasts yearly as part of your annual exam. This requires you scheduling your yearly exam. Do not use the excuse that you have no time to schedule an annual exam and visit your doctor. You must find the time to take care of yourself. If you do not find the time to take care of your self, you are unable to take care of the loved ones that you constantly put in front of you.
3. Get a mammogram. A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast. Most people are afraid because they have heard that it is painful. There is some discomfort but that discomfort usually last for seconds and not minutes or hours. Mammogram saves lives.
If any of the above examinations is abnormal, you will need additional testing. It is possible to feel a lump in the breast and have a normal mammogram. This does not mean that everything is okay. You still will need to have a biopsy to obtain a tissue sample to be sent to the lab to make sure everything is good. No one can pat you on the back and tell you that a lump is not cancer. It requires further testing. A mammogram is not a substitute for a breast exam.
Money should not be a barrier to getting the help you need. Through the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP), women without health insurance can be screened for free or at a very low cost. To learn more about this program, you can visit www.cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp or call 1-800-CDC INFO. You can also get more information on breast cancer at www.cancer.org or www.nbcam.org.
Use this month to make a difference in the lives of the people around you – your siblings and family, your friends, your neighbors and your colleagues at work. Peer pressure works. Use it positively to inform and educate the people around your about the importance of doing the right things when it comes to taking care of themselves. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
October 12, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Dr. Osuagwu,
I have heard that a mammogram has 1000 times the radiation that a chest x-ray has. And, for some of us, has been very painful and bruising. Can you tell us more about breast thermography? I read that it is safer and can detect cancer much earlier. Thank you so much, in advance, for any information you can offer.
November 2, 2009 at 1:16 am
A mammogram is an xray of the breast. Modern mammogram uses very low dose level of radiation, usually a dose of about 0.1 to 0.2 rads per picture (a rad is a measure of radiation). This is extremely low. The mammogram may be uncomfortable, but this is only for a few seconds. This can be decreased by getting a mammogram shortly after your menstrual flow is done. Breast thermography has been around for many years but has not proven to be an effective screening test for early detection of breast cancer. Research continues. It is not a substitute for a mammography. For more information please visit-www.cancer.org.