Currently
in the United States, one out of every nine women will develop breast
cancer sometime during her life. Two out of these nine women will
die from it. Breast cancer is currently the number two killer of American
women.
Risk factors for
breast cancer include advancing age, heredity, never having had children
or having children after the age of 30, diet and lifestyle. Women
over the age of 50 with a mother or sister who has been diagnosed
with breast cancer or who has had breast cancer herself are at the
highest risk.
When detected
early, the chances for cure are very high. Early warning signs for
breast cancer include: discharge from the nipple, a lump or thickening
in the breast and/or a change in the shape of the breast, nipple retraction
or discoloration. All women over the age of 20 should perform monthly
self breast exams. The best time is 10 days after your period begins.
Additionally, women over the age of 40 should schedule regular mammograms
as recommended by their doctor.
Mammography
is an x-ray of the breast and has become vital to the early diagnosis
of breast cancer. Mammography is capable of detecting extremely small
breast cancers, even those too small to be detected by self exam or
even an experienced physician. Mammography also shows other changes
in breast tissue that could represent a sign of very early cancer.
The radiologists
at Memorial Medical Center are accredited by the American College
of Radiology. We offer our patients state of the art equipment and
techniques in an atmosphere of genuine caring and concern.
