Breast cancer screening means checking for cancer before there are signs or symptoms of the disease. Screenings can help discover conditions that lead to cancer, which help doctors find and treat some types of cancers early. It’s easy to get busy and put off screenings. Many people share the notion that going to the doctor is for when you are sick, but that’s not the case.
A cancer screening can save your life or the life of a loved one by detecting the disease before symptoms appear. There are three main tests to check the breasts for cancer. Talk to your doctor about which tests are right for you and when you should have them.
• A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast. Regular mammograms can lower the risk of dying from breast cancer.
• A Clinical breast exam is an examination by a doctor or nurse, who feels for lumps or other changes.
• Breast self-exam is when you check your own breasts for lumps, changes in size or shape or any other changes in the breasts or armpits.