What are Breast Cancer Screenings?

Breast cancer screenings can detect breast cancer, usually before you have any signs or symptoms of the disease. Regular check-ups are very important for your health because they can find cancer early, when it's easiest to treat.

Research repeatedly demonstrates that breast cancer screening saves lives. Discuss with your healthcare provider when you should start having breast cancer screening. They can also inform you what screening is most suitable for you.

Screening alone does not diagnose breast cancer. Doctors usually use a mix of screenings, tests, and steps to figure out if someone has breast cancer.

What types of breast cancer screening are there?

There are a few different tests that healthcare professionals use to find breast cancer, and each one works a little differently. Doctors and other professionals often use two or three to help them figure out if someone has breast cancer. A radiologist looks at the pictures that breast cancer screening takes.

Mammogram: Mammograms are the best way to find breast cancer. It’s the most usual screening. It utilizes a specialized X-ray machine to create an image of tissue within your breast. It means putting your breasts into a flat plate or paddle. The plates then squeeze your breast flat.
Mammograms are usually 2D or 3D (breast tomosynthesis). 3D mammograms tend to produce clearer, more defined images. However, not all facilities are equipped with this technology.
Breast ultrasound: Ultrasound is another tool providers use to look inside your breast. Your provider may suggest getting one if they see something unusual on a mammogram or breast exam. Your provider either moves a small, handheld device around your breast or uses a larger ultrasound device to scan your whole breast. This device sends sound waves through your breast tissue and turns the sound waves into pictures your provider can see on a screen.
Breast MRI: Breast MRI is another test that makes clear pictures of the inside of your breasts using a magnet and radio waves. Your provider uses it with other screening tools to find cancer, especially if you are at higher risk or if you have had an unusual mammogram result.
Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI): MBI is a test that uses a small amount of radioactive material and a special camera to show cancer cells in your breast tissue. It highlights areas where cells look unusual or are growing too much. It is especially helpful if you have dense breasts.
Thermography: This is an imaging test that uses an infrared camera to detect hot spots on your skin. Warmth areas will appear red or orange on your results.

Other breast exams

Knowing what your breasts normally look and feel like is another great way to recognize a change in your health. This is also referred to as breast self-awareness. Notify your provider immediately if changes are noticed.

Two other kinds of breast exams don’t require special tools:

Clinical breast exam: When your doctor checks around your breast for lumps or changes using their fingers.
Breast self-exam: Check your own breasts for lumps or changes using your fingers.

It’s important to mention that although breast exams are not harmful, they haven’t been discovered to be very useful in preventing breast cancer. They should never, however, substitute a mammogram.

What are the guidelines for breast cancer screening?

Your doctor will decide when and how often you need to have a screening based on a breast cancer risk check. This tool guesses your chance of getting breast cancer based on things like:

Having the BRCA gene mutation
Having a family history of breast cancer
Age
Breast density

After your doctor calculates your overall risk, they’ll advise when and how often you should have a breast cancer screening. This is done by having a mammogram.

General recommendations are if you:

If you are aged 40 to 74 with average breast cancer risk, get a mammogram every 1-2 years.
If you're at higher risk, consider annual mammograms until age 74, possibly starting before age 40. Those with general risk should have their first mammogram at age 40.
Consult your doctor for personalized screening recommendations.

What are the dangers of breast cancer screening?

The benefit of finding cancer early (when it is easier to treat) usually is greater than the risk of the screening. Although every screening has good and bad sides, some of the risks you should think about are:

False positives: This is when the test indicates you have cancer, but you don’t. It can cause further testing, which can be distressing.
False negatives: A false negative in breast cancer screening means the test misses cancer, which can delay finding and treating it.
Pain or discomfort: It’s to be expected to feel a little uncomfortable with a breast cancer screening, particularly a mammogram.
Radiation exposure: Some screenings use a small amount of radiation. These levels are safe.
Overdiagnosis: Your doctor treats cancer with surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy when it might never have caused a problem.
Breast exam mistakes: Studies don’t demonstrate an apparent advantage to breast self-exams or clinical breast exams as a “screening method.” It doesn’t hurt, but others might trust breast exams too much and miss other tests such as mammograms.
Allergic reaction: Some individuals have an allergy to the MBI and MRI tracer material.

Your doctor will explain the pros and cons of each screening and recommend the most suitable test based on your medical history and age.

What kind of results do you obtain through a breast cancer screening?

Health care providers use a system called BI-RADS to report most results of breast cancer screening. It is a standard way of sharing the results of breast imaging that you can understand. There are six categories, and each one has a meaning. If your results are unclear, please contact your health care provider for more information.

When will I get the results of my breast cancer screening?

This varies with the type of screening. However, most screening results are obtained within a few business days, depending on several factors. It is good to discuss this with your healthcare provider prior to the test and determine when you can receive your results.

If my results are abnormal what happens next?

Health care professionals do several different tests to find out if you have breast cancer. An abnormal result on a screening test does not mean you have breast cancer. It means more tests, such as a breast ultrasound, are needed. A breast biopsy is the only test that can be sure if you have breast cancer.

Why choose Tender Palm Super-Speciality Hospital for Breast Cancer Screening in Lucknow, India?

Tender Palm Super-Speciality Hospital offers advanced Breast Cancer Screening in Lucknow, India. We have a team of experienced Gynecologiocal oncologists, radiologists, and breast health specialists, known as some of the best doctors for early detection of breast cancer. We provide accurate screening with advanced mammography, ultrasound, and clinical breast examination, along with personalized guidance and follow-up care. Our team has decades of experience in successfully helping women with Breast Cancer Screening and early detection in Lucknow, India.