Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines

Breast cancer screening guidelines - Screening is to check through exams if the disease is present in a group of people who do not observe symptoms of this disease. Screening tests make it possible to find breast cancer before any symptoms occur. When one detects and treats breast cancer at an early stage, the chances of successful treatment are better.

Currently, breast cancer screening is recommended for Canadians aged 50 to 69 years with average risk. Regular screening is recommended for women in this age group because about half of all new breast cancer cases occur in these women. The most reliable method of early detection of breast cancer is screening mammography. Breast cancer screening guidelines - Research has also shown that routinely passing a mammogram can significantly reduce the risk of women in this age group from breast cancer die. Talk to your doctor about your personal risk of breast cancer and benefit from testing or screening programs available in your area.

Breast Cancer Screening Programs

Breast cancer screening programs vary by province and territory and each has its own specific guidelines. Breast cancer screening guidelines - All provinces and territories offer organized breast cancer screening programs for women aged 50 to 69 years. If you are a member of this age group, you will be automatically invited to participate in the screening program by your province. We'll send you a letter to remind you that it will soon be time to spend your next screening mammogram. You can contact your local or provincial screening program to make an appointment. A doctor's request is not necessary to get an appointment.

Some programs allow younger or older women to participate. Check with your local or provincial screening program staff for details on screening mammography for your age group or if you have any questions about participation in the program. See also: How To Check For Breast Cancer at Home?

The results of the mammogram will be sent to you as well as to your doctor. If mammography reveals a change or anomaly that requires follow-up, your doctor will be notified. In the light of this information, he will decide whether further examinations are necessary. Diagnostic mammography is the most frequently performed monitoring test since it allows targeting a suspicious region.

Screening Mammography? Provincial and territorial screening programs use screening mammography. Mammography is a low-dose breast X-ray. It is used to look for breast cancer in women who have no symptoms of the disease. It can be performed in a clinic, in a screening center or in a mobile screening mammography unit.

If you are 50 to 69 years old: pass a screening mammogram every 2 years. If you are 40-49 years old: Talk to your doctor about your risk of breast cancer and the potential benefits and risks of mammography. The benefits of a breast cancer screening mammogram have not been clearly identified in a woman under the age of 50 years. And if you are 70 years of age or older: talk to your doctor about how often you should get a mammogram.

Benefits and Risks of Mammography

Almost all tests, including mammography, generate benefits and risks. The scientific evidence establishes a link between regular mammographic screening and a reduced number of deaths among women with breast cancer. This is because this test makes it possible to find a tumor in the breast while it is smaller and easier to treat, which increases the chances of survival.

Mammography can lead to the following risks - False positive results suggest that there is cancer when this is not the case. Such results can be achieved in women of all ages, but are more likely among women from 40 to 49 years. A false positive mammogram can cause anxiety, stress and the possibility of having to undergo unnecessary tests that may be painful to exclude the presence of cancer.

False negative results indicate that there is no cancer when it is present. Such results may cause the woman or doctor to ignore the symptoms that led to suspicion of the presence of cancer and thus lead to delays in diagnosis and treatment. Exposure to radiation is a risk caused by mammography, which emits very low doses of radiation. However, the benefits of mammography and early detection of breast cancer exceed the risk of exposure to a small amount of radiation during this test. Learn more about mammography and its risks and benefits.

Know Your Breasts! All women should know the normal appearance of their breasts even if they regularly pass screening exams. Many of them discover their own breast cancer through observed or felt changes in the touch.

Breast cancer screening guidelines - A woman can get acquainted with her breasts by looking at them and palpating them. A monthly self-examination carried out in some way was previously suggested by the experts, but the researchers revealed that this was not necessary. That the woman uses one method rather than another to examine her breasts is irrelevant, provided she gets to know the entire area of her breasts to the clavicle and armpit and nipples so that she can Observe changes. Report any unusual changes in your breasts to your doctor. Most of the changes detected are not cancerous. It may be normal for your breasts to have small dents or be more sensitive before menstruation.