Mammogram Results Mention A Low Risk Breast Lesion Follow
You get a mammogram results letter, saying they want to re-check something in 6 months. It makes you nervous.
Quite often the most prudent measure for a very low risk finding is simply to observe the suspicious lesion on subsequent mammograms, at intervals ranging from six months to a year. The number of women who receive follow-up mammogram requests will vary in different countries and districts, to a certain extent.
Why Are These Cancer Awareness Dates So Important
Specific months or days of the year are dedicated to awareness, advocacy, and activism regarding the various forms of known cancers. Such activism can include:
- promotion of research
- increased education about prevention, diagnosis, and treatment options
Another aspect of raising awareness for particular cancers is to promote solidarity and show support for cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers.
Treatment Of Breast Cancer
Treatment is based on the type of cancer, where it is located and whether it has spread or not. In many cases, surgery is used to remove the tumor in the breast and this is followed up by anti-hormonal therapy or chemotherapy. Other approaches such as targeted drug therapy and immunotherapy are also being used to combat the disease with great effect.
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The Impact Of Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is raising awareness about the importance of regular screening. Early detection improves the chances of survival and access to more effective treatments.
In addition, a month of events and fundraising helps fund research to improve the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of Canadians with breast cancer, including support for their family and caregivers.
After A Breast Cancer Diagnosis Many Black Women Face Barriers That Delay Their Care
Dont just be aware of the disease. Be aware of us. In the midst of the pink madness, it can be easy to forget what breast cancer really is: an ugly disease that takes the lives of far too many people each year. In the U.S. alone, nearly 4 million people mostly women, but men can develop breast cancer, too have a history of breast cancer. Dont get me wrong: We want as many people as possible to be aware of this cause. But we are more than pink ribbons, more than the statistics you see adorning the October campaigns.
If someone in your life is affected by breast cancer, check in on them this month. See how they are faring with the constant reminders. If they want to participate in BCAM activities, thats great but follow their lead.
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Some Black And Hispanic Women Have Greater Risk
A report from the National Cancer Institute supported research showing that aggressive forms of breast cancers are common in younger African American/Black and Hispanic/Latina women living in low socioeconomic areas, says Elise Desperito, MD, assistant professor of radiology at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and chief of breast imaging at NewYork-Presbyterian.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Breast Cancer Awareness Month , also referred to in the United States as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month , is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure.
Observances of the event have faced criticism for corporate involvement by drug companies, as well as instances of pinkwashing associated with the events.
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What Is Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is abnormal and uncontrollable growth of cells in the breast that create a mass of tissue called a tumor. Despite advances in scientific and medical research, the causes of breast cancer remain unknown.
Breast cancer doesnt usually present any signs or symptoms in its early stages, which is why regular screening is so vital to detecting the disease and improving outcomes for women.
Starting With Neoadjuvant Therapy
Most often, these cancers are treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. For HER2-positive tumors, the targeted drug trastuzumab is given as well, often along with pertuzumab . This may shrink the tumor enough for a woman to have breast-conserving surgery . If the tumor doesnt shrink enough, a mastectomy is done. Nearby lymph nodes will also need to be checked. A sentinel lymph node biopsy is often not an option for stage III cancers, so an axillary lymph node dissection is usually done.
Often, radiation therapy is needed after surgery. If breast reconstruction is planned, it is usually delayed until after radiation therapy is done. For some, additional chemo is given after surgery as well.
After surgery, some women with HER2-positive cancers will be treated with trastuzumab for up to a year. Many women with HER2-positive cancers will be treated first with trastuzumab followed by surgery and then more trastuzumab for up to a year. If after neoadjuvant therapy, any residual cancer is found at the time of surgery, ado-trastuzumab emtansine may be used instead of trastuzumab. It is given every 3 weeks for 14 doses. For women with hormone receptor-positive cancer that is in the lymph nodes, who have completed a year of trastuzumab, the doctor might also recommend additional treatment with an oral targeted drug called neratinib for a year.
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Sign Up For Our Breast Cancer Webinars
The Margie Petersen Breast Center will be hosting webinars, presented by the Irene Dunne Guild, throughout the month of October. Funding for our educational webinars are generously provided by the Ken Johnson Family in memory of Joan Brierton Johnson.
Sign up, watch, and share our complimentary webinars to help us spread awareness!
Initial Abnormal Mammogram Results And Call
Following initial screening, a certain percentage of women may have a higher risk for breast cancer, even if the results are clear. In the case of high risk individuals follow-ups may be necessary more frequently.
These high risk factorsinclude:-
- Women with atypical ductal hyperplasia or lobular neoplasia. If biopsy shows either of these conditions, regular screening follow-ups are very important.
- A genetic predisposition for breast cancer. So, if a first or second degree family member has breast or ovarian cancer. Also, the risk increases if the family member has breast or ovarian cancer before the age of 40 years.
- If a molecular exam reveals a genetic predisposition for breast cancer. So, if a woman carries the BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 mutation the risk for breast cancer increases from between 40% to 80%. Specialists recommend follow-up mammograms every 6 months to a year.
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Eating Disorders Awareness Week
Stereotypes would have you believe that eating disorders are not serious illnesses and that they always take the same form. This is wrong. It has to change.
This Eating Disorders Awareness Week help us put the stories of how people are affected in the spotlight, standing together to demand that anyone affected by an eating disorder is supported, no matter what their diagnosis, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, age or background. Together by raising funds and combating stigma, we can change lives.
9 â 15
Genetics And Family Testing:
Although all cancers result from genetic errors , most cancers develop over time as multiple mutations accumulate in single cells. This can be due to things like aging or the environment. However, in some families, an inherited risk factor can be identified that causes increased cancer risk. This is true in at least 10% of breast cancers. The most common mutations are BRCA1 and BRCA2. If someone inherits such a mutation, the risk of developing breast cancer is much higher than for the average man or woman. Inherited risk can come from either side of the family, and the risk on each side is considered separately.
Having a close relative with breast cancer, such as a mother or sister, increases your chance for developing breast cancer.
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Police Go Pink In October For Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Hereâs our round-up of how cops across the nation supported breast cancer research and looked damn good doing it
Pink squad cars were out in full force this October as cops across the nation came out to support breast cancer awareness month. Police agencies participated in community runs, sold specialty patches, and even got their furry friends in on the action.
Hereâs our round-up of how officers coast to coast got involved in the quest for a cure:
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Malawi Struggles To Stem Cases
Breast cancer rates are also on the rise in Malawi. However, the country has only one treatment center in Kamuzu Central Hospital in the capital, Lilongwe.
Here, too, most women only come to health facilities once the disease has progressed to a late stage, making treatment longer and more difficult.
According to a study conducted in 2014, the median survival rate for breast cancer in Malawi from the time of diagnosis is 5.6 months.
After her diagnosis, Sophie Nsothi had a double mastectomy the surgical removal of both breasts. The 64-year-old said she believes awareness is vital to stemming the rising numbers.
âThe government should take an active part in bringing awareness, especially to rural areas,â she told DW.
âWhen I was going for treatment I saw women in a worse state than I was, but they believe that it was breast cancer. So, I would advise women to do a self-awareness test every month, especially those from 30 years and up.â
Breast cancer screening is important for early detection of the disease
Malawiâs Health Ministry has called for breast cancer screening to be integrated into primary health care and routinely offered to all women. However, these services remain widely unavailable, or run at a very limited capacity.
Despite the grueling treatment, Nsothi considers herself fortunate that she was able to access it in the first place. Now recovered, she tries to monitor her health as best she can.
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Dense: Breasts: And: What: To: Do: About: Them
The only way you know you have dense breasts is when a radiologist looks at your mammogram, Friedlander adds. Dense breasts are not something your doctor can detect on a physical examination or not something you yourself can feel.
Having dense breasts does not mean you will get breast cancer. It does mean you need to be vigilant and get mammograms once a year.
3D mammography does a bit better at finding breast cancers in all women but particularly in women with dense breast tissue, Friedlander says.
What Is The Aim Of Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is not only critical in raising the public awareness of the disease but it also encourages women to attend regular screenings.
As with most cancer types, early detection is key in relation to the affected individuals prognosis. The good news is that, with regular screening, the outlook of a breast cancer diagnosis is good, especially with the range of treatments that are now available.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is also a platform for support groups to reach out to their local communities and raise money to help with research and new treatments.
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The Thresholds For Requesting Follow
It can be a challenge for radiologists to find a reasonable cutoff point in deciding whether a 6 month follow-up diagnostic mammogram is necessary. Secondly specialists must decide whether a biopsy is more appropriate, or not.
Generally speaking, if the first screening mammography results are highly suggestive of malignancy, then a core-needle biopsy should probably be the next step.
When the initial mammogram reveals an abnormality that is probably benign, then additional imaging is generally useful to help to decide whether to biopsy or not.
Specifically, the radiologist will want to determine whether the lesion is a solid mass or a cyst. In addition, the radiologist will also want to take a closer look at the margins. If all indications of the second imaging studies are for a benign or likely benign lesion, then subsequent follow up imaging studies in about 6 months is probably a reasonable approach, without the necessity of a biopsy.
Positive Mammogram Results And Statistics
If you see the word positive on a mammogram report, and its a call-back, the word positive is for STATISTICS. The statisticians want to score true positive and false positive.
Screening Mammography Programs are copy-cats of each other and they all have statisticians. Somewhere, long ago, a statistician wrote a sample letter to explain mammogram results to patients. The statistician used the word positive in the results. The same letter wording was then copied from state to state, province to province, country to country.
Furthermore, statisticians calculate accuracy using 4 values: True positives, True negatives, False positives, False negatives.
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How Quickly Breast Cancer Develops
The actual time it takes for breast cancer to grow from a single cancer cell to a cancerous tumor is unknown. Part of the reason is that estimates based on doubling time assume that the rate stays constant at all times as the tumor grows.
If this were true, cancer with a doubling time of 200 days would take 20 years to develop into a detectable tumor. A doubling time of 100 days would take 10 years to be found on exam. In contrast, a breast tumor with a doubling time of 20 days would take only 2 years to develop.
Most studies have found the average doubling time to be between 50 days and 200 days. This means it’s possible that breast cancers diagnosed now began at least 5 years earlier, but again, this assumes the growth rate is constant. It is not.
As Breast Cancer Awareness Month Ends These Facts Are Worth Remembering
Breast cancer doesnt take a break when November rolls around and the pink ribbons of Octobers breast cancer awareness month fade from view.
Physicians at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons have been speaking and writing about what people, not just women, should know about breast cancer.
Here, weve summed up some of their latest advice, good for all 12 months of the year.
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How Fast Breast Cancer Grows
One main reason for why people ask about how fast breast cancer grows, or its doubling time, is when they consider how long to wait to begin treatment. This growth rate also is important to understand if you have a lump and have been advised to simply observe it over time.
In general, the growth of breast cancer can be quite variable, but several studies provide at least an estimate of what may be happening.
Unless your healthcare provider is extremely confident that a lump is benign, it should be evaluated right away rather than waiting.
Breast Cancer & Covid
The Canadian Cancer Society launched a ‘Cancer and COVID-19’ webinar series to offer support and information to people with cancer and their caregivers, family and friends. Each webinar is presented by an expert speaker and addresses a key question about managing cancer needs during COVID-19. Please to watch the individual webinars.
For more information about breast cancer services at WCH during COVID-19 and tips for coping with a cancer diagnosis, please .
If you are due for breast cancer screening, please speak with your primary care provider. Health care sites have implemented a number of measures to prioritize patient safety during COVID-19. If you have never been screened or are overdue for a screening, or were previously told to get a mammogram every year instead of every two years, it is especially important to book an appointment. Please to learn more about cancer care during COVID-19.
Research Studies
A Study of Familial Breast Cancer in BRCA Mutation-Negative Families: Women with a strong family history of breast cancer, but no BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, are two to four times more likely to develop breast cancer than women without a family history. Despite this elevated risk, no clinical guidelines have been developed for the care of these women. This study evaluates factors which may influence their risk.
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Breast Cancer Risk Factors
The most significant risk factors for breast cancer are sex and age. As women get older, breast cancer rates increase. 83% of the cases of breast cancer occur in women over 50 years of age.
Simply being a woman is a risk factor for breast cancer. Women develop breast cancer at a much higher rate than men because their breast cells are exposed to the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. These hormones, especially estrogen, are linked with breast cancer and boost the growth of some breast cancers.
Family history can also increase your risk of developing breast cancer over your lifetime. Having one first-degree relative with breast cancer can double a womans risk of breast cancer, however, it is not clear whether a familys pattern of cancer is due to chance, shared lifestyle factors, genes, or a combination of these factors.
Though family history is out of your power, some risk factors are in your control. These include alcohol consumption, obesity, and physical inactivity. It is essential to eat a balanced diet and maintain an active lifestyle to decrease these risk factors as you age.
Regardless of family history or lifestyle, it is vital that all women consider their risk for breast cancer and get regular checkups and screenings. Regular breast cancer screenings are one of the best prevention measures you can take against the disease.
Risk Factors And Prevention
Not all cases of breast cancer can be prevented, but some can. Certain risk factors for breast cancer, such as genetics, are inherent to an individual and cannot be changed. Others are related to a persons lifestyle. This animation highlights some of the things that affect your risk of developing breast cancer and some behaviours you can adopt to reduce your risk.
Here is an informative video from WHO:
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