The Importance of Early Diagnosis
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women. Because breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women and its incidence is increasing, breast cancer awareness and screening programs are of great importance. Therefore, it is very important to follow the recommended control programs for early diagnosis of breast cancer. Diagnosing breast cancer at an early stage increases the chances of successful treatment and survival. With screening methods, 61% of breast cancer can be diagnosed in the early localized stage. The 5-year life expectancy of patients diagnosed at this stage is as high as 99%.
The aim of screening programs is not only to provide a healthier and longer life thanks to early diagnosis and effective treatment, but also to improve the quality of life of treated patients and to offer breast conserving treatment options (removal of part of the breast) to patients with early stage diagnosis.
In the early stages, breast cancers may not show any obvious symptoms until they reach advanced stages, as is the case with other types of cancer. The most important factor in early diagnosis is raising awareness. Three basic methods can be applied for early diagnosis. These are breast self-examination, annual breast examination by a doctor and mammography (breast X-ray).
Women should self-examine their breasts every month after the age of 20. In the pre-menopausal period, you should examine on the 7th-10th day after the onset of menstruation, and in the post-menopausal period on the same day of each month. If any suspicious mass is found in the breast tissue, you should consult a doctor immediately. After the age of 20, you should have a breast examination by a doctor every 2 years and after the age of 40, once a year. It has been found that cancer can be caught at very early stages in women who are followed up in this way and a 30% reduction in deaths due to breast cancer has been achieved.
Radiologic examination should not be the first thing to be done in patients presenting with breast complaints. First of all, it should be known that some diseases involving the breast skin cannot be detected by examinations. If only examinations are performed without a doctor's examination, it is highly likely to miss these diseases involving the nipple and skin. For this reason, necessary examinations (breast ultrasound, mammography, breast MRI, etc.) are requested in accordance with the age of the patient after the doctor's examination.
Breast ultrasound is a very easy test. Although mammography is a bit painful, it is very valuable in detecting some conditions that cannot be detected by ultrasound.