Breast Cancer Tips

Advice on Breast Cancer Screening

Understanding Breast Cancer Screening

Perhaps the single most important thing every woman can do to prevent death or disfiguration from breast cancer is screening. Screening means looking for cancer before any symptoms are noticed. Three methods exist for screening. The first is a monthly breast self-exam a woman performs on her own breasts. The second is a clinical breast exam, which is performed manually by a doctor as part of a regular physical exam. The third is a mammogram, or an X-ray of the breast. Your doctor will recommend a schedule for all three types of screening. Breast cancers rarely cause symptoms until they are large and have spread beyond the breast. By detecting cancer through screening instead of waiting for symptoms to appear, you will vastly improve your chances for a successful outcome, should cancer be found.