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NIPPLE-AREOLA
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BREAST CANCER
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PREVENTION AND DETECTION

PREVENTION

GET TO KNOW THE WAYS YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELF

AND DETECTION

Whats your risk factor?

LOWER BODY

While breast cancer most often shows up unexpectedly, understanding your risk

LIFT

factors for the disease can improve your chances of catching it early on and
having successful treatment. Where your risk lies depends on things you can
and cannot change. As a woman ages, the chances of having breast cancer

DENTAL

increases, which is why its important to stay aware and take the necessary

GRAFTING

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PREVENTION AND DETECTION | deepBODY

precautions to protect yourself.

Heres a list of some of the risks you should be aware of based on the Canadian

LIP FILLERS

Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF):

RISKS:
DOUBLE CHIN

Carrying a genetic mutation (can find this out through genetic testing)

REMOVAL

Undergone chest radiation for Hodgkins lymphoma

EYEBROW

Family history of a first-degree relative having breast cancer

RESTORATION

That risk would be higher if that first degree relative developed breast cancer
younger, premenopausally. It would be greater if that family member had breast

SEPTORHINOPLAS

cancer in both breasts. The risk goes up if you have multiple relatives, especially
first degree, and then multiple generations. Dr. Paula Gordon, breast cancer
radiologist and medical director at BC Womens Hospital Breast Health Program.
BREAST

Increased exposure to estrogen from:

ASYMMETRY

- Starting period younger

CHEEK

- Starting menopause later

AUGMENTATION

- Lengthy hormone therapy

LOVE HANDLES

- High body weight

- Fertility treatments
GORGEOUS HAIR

Alcohol consumption
Smoking
What can you do to minimize your risk?
You cant choose your relatives, but there are a few things you can do:
1. Minimize alcohol intake. There is no safe amount. The more alcohol a woman
consumes, the higher the risk of getting breast cancer.
2. Exercise! Numerous studies have shown that women who exercise moderately
have a lower risk of getting breast cancer than sedentary women.
3. Maintain a healthy body weight. Women who are overweight, especially after
menopause, are at a higher risk of getting breast cancer than women who are a
healthy weight.

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4. If you need hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms, take the lowest
possible dose for the shortest possible time.
5. Quit smoking. This is good not just for your breast cancer risk, but for your
heart, lungs and brain.
Early detection
There are different methods that can help you detect a sign of breast cancer early
on. One you can do yourself is self-examination. Dr. Gordon explained that while
women may get anxious to self-exam and worry about finding a lump, its an
important step a woman should take. Dr. Gordon recommends doing selfexamining following a menstrual period, because for most women, the breasts
are softer, less tender and less lumpy then. Knowing what your own normal feels
like makes it easier to detect an abnormal lump. Dr. Gordon explained that this
will not only save unnecessary trips to the doctor, but ensures getting diagnostic
tests when they are needed.
Women over 30 with a breast lump can be referred to get a mammogram and/or
an ultrasound. According to CBCF, Canada experienced a 42 per cent decrease
in breast cancer deaths between 1986 to 2013, largely due to earlier detection
through regular mammography screening, advances in screening technology
and improved treatments. Dr. Gordon described a mammogram as a low-dose
x-ray of the breast, which can show possible abnormalities, such as a tumour.
The breast is compressed by the machine in order to spread out the tissue,
which increases the chances that a cancer will be seen if its there.
Two pictures are taken of each breast, one with the breast compressed from top
to bottom, and the other compressed side-to-side at an angle. The
mammogram will then be read by a radiologist, who will check for any possibility
of a cancer.
There are two types of mammograms: diagnostic and screening. A diagnostic
mammogram is done for women who have a lump or other problem, whove had
an abnormal screening mammogram or for women whove had breast cancer
and are having an annual checkup. If there is a lump, during the test, a
technologist will sometimes tape a marker on the skin where the lump is located,
which will be visible on the mammogram. Women with breast implants also have
diagnostic mammograms. Since implants cover up much of the breast tissue,
four pictures are taken of each breast, two of which include the implant to make
sure the implant is okay and to see the tissue around the implant, and two with
the implant pushed back, to get a better look at the tissue in front of the implant.
The technologist is usually able to feel where the implant starts, and shes able
to pull the patients native breast tissue forward off the implant, push the implant
out of the picture, and then compress just the breast tissue, explained Dr.
Gordon.

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A screening mammogram on the other hand, is used for early diagnosis and is for
women who do not have signs of breast cancer. According to CBCF, once a
woman is a certain age, she becomes eligible for a free biannual screening
mammogram. The age varies among provinces, with Ontario starting at age 50,
while British Columbia starts at age 40. While some provinces end the coverage
at 69, others end it at 74. CBCF claims that in 2014, an estimated 82% of new
breast cancer cases in Canada will occur in women over the age of 50. If a
woman requires a mammogram outside the provinces age range, a doctors
referral will be required. Women at very high risk, such as those with a mutation
of the cancer gene, are eligible for annual screenings between the ages of 30 to
69, and are advised to do an MRI every year as well.
Supplementary imaging tests may sometimes be required in addition to a
mammogram, especially if a radiologist notices something that could be
abnormal, or if a woman has a lump. According to Dr. Gordon, mammograms
are around 80 per cent accurate.. Dr. Gordon mentioned that the biggest
influence on the accuracy of results is breast density. She explained that every
womans breasts are made up of fat, glandular tissue and fibrous tissue. On a
mammogram, fat is black while normal glandular tissue is white. Lumps also
appear white, which makes it more difficult to see cancers in dense breasts, but
easier with more fatty breasts.
If a womans breasts are totally fatty and black, even the smallest white cancer is
going to jump at us and be easy to see. If a womans breasts are fat and dense,
well still be able to see the cancer if its outlined by fat. But if a cancer is
surrounded by normal white tissue, we might not be able to see it on the
mammogram, stated Dr. Gordon, mentioning that a negative result on a fatty
breast will be almost 100 per cent accurate, while a negative result on a dense
breast could still hide a cancer.
Women may also need additional testing because of a false-positive result, since
according to Dr. Gordon, everything from cysts, non-cancerous tumours and scar
tissue from a previous surgery can show up on a mammogram. Requiring
additional testing can be a scary, but Dr. Gordon explained that most women
called back for extra tests do not have cancer.
Women need to know that after they are called back after mammogram, they
shouldnt panic. It doesnt mean you have cancer. It means the radiologist is
being cautious and wants to do some more tests to make sure you dont have
cancer.
The next steps
If a lump is found, even if it not suspicious for cancer, often a needle biopsy will
be the next step. If the needle biopsy is negative, then the woman may not need
surgery. Even if the lump is very suspicious for cancer, a needle biopsy is an
important step. According to Dr. Gordon the surgeon wants to know as much
about the patient before they do their surgery, and if the biopsy reveals theres a
cancer, it can also show what type of cancer it is and how aggressive it is.

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After local freezing, dull pressure may be felt during the needle biopsy, but no
pain. There are different ways a needle biopsy can be performed. If there is a
feelable lump, the patients doctor can do the biopsy in the office without any
imaging-guidance. Otherwise, imaging guidance will be required. Whether an
ultrasound, MRI or mammogram is used to guide the needle will depend on
which test the lump was detected, and which guidance is best for the patient.
Needle biopsies have played a big role in preventing unnecessary surgeries,
while also prompting life-saving surgeries. If a cancer diagnosis is received, the
patient will then be referred to the correct specialist depending on the size of the
cancer. By going through the necessary screening measures, the breast cancer
can be caught early and chances of beating the disease can drastically improve.

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http://deepbody.ca/prevention-and-detection/[10/28/2014 10:13:33 PM]

PREVENTION AND DETECTION | deepBODY

Deep Body Magazine

http://deepbody.ca/prevention-and-detection/[10/28/2014 10:13:33 PM]