EVERYTHING
FOR YOUR FAMILY
KID
QUIPS
During last July’s 5.8 earthquake, 3-year-old Bronwyn told her 1-year-old sister, “We’re going for a wiggle.” READ MORE
Women's Health
|
||||
|
Breast cancer screening for those under 40 Breast cancer affects more than 200,000 women in the United States each year, and approximately 5% of these cases are women under the age of 40. While this number is low, there are certain situations that may result in a young woman being at high risk for the development of breast cancer at an early age. These include: • Women with a mother or sister with breast cancer, particularly at an early age. • Women with a family history of multiple relatives with cancer (especially breast and ovarian) on either side of the family. • Women who have had a biopsy that showed some abnormal cells that were not yet considered cancerous. It has recently been discovered that there are breast cancer genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2 that are associated with a high likelihood of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer. However, only about 5-10% of all breast cancer is hereditary. Women who have a strong family history should talk to their physician about the need for a consultation with a genetic counselor who can accurately assess a woman’s risk for developing cancer and determine whether they should be tested for a mutation of one of these breast cancer genes. The National Cancer Institute has set specific guidelines regarding the number of relatives with cancer, type of cancer and age at diagnosis that would justify testing a woman for the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation. Screening for high-risk women For women considered at high risk for developing breast cancer, a clinical breast exam by a physician should be obtained every six months along with an annual mammogram. If a woman has a mother or a sister with breast cancer, she should start getting mammograms 10 years before the age that her relative was diagnosed. For example, if a woman’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 45, the daughter should start getting mammograms at age 35. MRI is a relatively new type of imaging that is often used for women who are considered to be high risk due to their family history. However, MRI is not widely used as a screening tool for the general population. Screening for the general population For women with no family history of breast cancer and no personal history of abnormal breast biopsies, the screening recommendations are: • Annual clinical breast exams to look for any lumps or nipple discharge starting at age 18; • Annual mammograms starting at age 40. • In very young women (under 30), mammography is often not very helpful because of the density of their breast tissue. In fact, there is some concern that mammography can actually be harmful to the breast tissue in women in their late teens and early 20s. If a lump is discovered in a young patient, an ultrasound is often used to determine whether the lump requires a biopsy. There has been much debate about the role of breast self-exams in the detection of breast cancer. It is advisable for a woman to perform a breast exam once a month possibly while in the shower to look for any changes, including new lumps. If a new lump is felt, it is important to see a physician to evaluate this lump. The overwhelming majority of lumps in women under 40 will be benign (noncancerous). However, in most cases it is important to confirm this with a needle biopsy. Being proactive about breast health is the best defense for women who are at high risk for breast cancer. It is encouraging to note that even if breast cancer is detected, today’s treatments are better than ever before and offer a high likelihood of effectively treating this common disease.m Dr. Karen Lane is an oncologic surgeon specializing in breast cancer at UCI Medical Center. Information: 877.UCI.DOCS. |
||||
RSS Subscribe
Digg This ArticleSEARCH THE SITE
