Can breast cancer be prevented?

 Since we do not know what causes breast cancer, we do not know how to prevent it. Early detection is the single most important factor in surviving a breast cancer diagnosis. Knowing the facts and taking action now could save your life. Until researchers understand the causes of breast cancer, you need to be your own health advocate by becoming aware of your breasts and any changes that occur.

 How can I detect my breast cancer early?

The best tool for young women to find breast cancer early is to become familiar with their breasts: their shape, size, and what they feel like. Learn what is normal for you. Sometimes your breasts may change throughout your monthly cycle. If you are pregnant or nursing, your breasts will change even more dramatically. If you find anything unusual, see your doctor immediately and insist on a diagnosis. Also, beginning at age 20, have a yearly breast exam by a doctor. Start mammograms beginning at age 40.

 Is family history of breast cancer important?

Yes. While only 5 to 10% of all women diagnosed with breast cancer have a family history, it is important to know your family's history of cancer, if any, both on your mother's side and your father's side. Women with at least one close family relative (mother, sister, or daughter) should start a screening program with a breast specialist when they are ten years younger than their relative's age at diagnosis, but usually not before 20 years old.

 Can I get breast cancer if it doesn't run in my family?

Breast cancer can happen to anyone. Having a family history increases your risk, but 80% of all women diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history of the disease.

 What is the incidence of breast cancer in young women?

Despite the prevailing opinion that young women don't get breast cancer, the reality is that they can and do. In fact, one in every 229 women between the ages of 30 and 40 will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the next 10 years. Following are some other startling facts about breast cancer in young women:

• Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women ages 15 to 54.
• Approximately 11,100 women age 40 and under will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, and more than 1,100 will die.
• There are more than 250,000 women in the United States under age 40 currently living with breast cancer.
• Young women's cancers are generally more aggressive and lead to lower survival rates.

 What are the symptoms of breast cancer?

Some of the symptoms include: a lump or abnormality in the shape or feel of your breast; a generalized swelling of a part of the breast; an irritation or dimpling of the skin on the breast; nipple retraction; redness or scaliness on the nipple or breast skin; or a spontaneous discharge from the nipple. Please consult your doctor if you are unsure about a symptom.

 What do I do if I find a lump?

If you feel a lump or abnormality, see a doctor without delay. Most breast lumps are benign (not cancerous), but any lump should be checked out. Do not delay seeing your doctor because you are scared that you may have breast cancer. 80% of all breast lumps that are biopsied are not cancer, and early diagnosis of breast cancer is the key to survival.

 What do I do if my doctor wants to 'watch' my lump for six months?

 If your doctor tells you to wait or that you are "too young to have breast cancer," and does nothing more than a manual breast exam, insist on a mammogram or other diagnostic test - or get a second opinion from another doctor. If you have a mammogram but your lump or abnormality does not show up, insist on further tests. These may include a sonogram, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), needle aspiration or surgical biopsy. This is important because young women tend to have denser breasts; therefore, mammograms are not as accurate for younger women as they are for older women.

 At what age should I start and how often should I do a breast self-exam?

 The YSC does not endorse the practice of a formal BSE, which you can read more about in our YSC Position Paper on Breast Self Examination (BSE) and Early Detection. Instead, until there are reliable early detection and high-risk screening methods, the YSC recommends that young women be familiar with their breasts and be able to detect any change from the norm. We recognize that performing self-exams might be the best way for some women to become familiar with their breasts and therefore we do not discourage women from doing so. However, it is important that young women know the facts about breast cancer and the limitations of current early detection methods.

  At what age should I start getting a clinical breast exam?

 Clinical exam is a physical examination of your breasts by a trained physician, nurse practitioner, nurse, or physician's assistant and should begin at age 20 (or whenever you begin to see a gynecologist, whichever comes first). Clinical Breast Examination (or CBE) includes inspection (looking) and palpation (feeling) of the entire breast/chest area including the lymph node areas above and below the collarbone and under each arm. The clinical breast exam is also an opportunity to discuss any concerns and questions you have and learn how to correctly identify the difference between lumps or changes that are of concern and those that are normal.

  What is a mammogram?

A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast during which the breast is pressed between 2 plates to spread the tissue and produce a clear picture. The pressure can cause some discomfort but it lasts only a few seconds. While radiation is used, the levels are extremely low and will not increase a risk for breast cancer. The whole procedure takes about 20 minutes. According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 10 women who get a mammogram will need more pictures taken, but most of these women do not have breast cancer, therefore try not to be alarmed or stressed while waiting for results; only 1 or 2 mammograms of every 1,000 leads to a diagnosis of cancer.

  At what age should I start getting mammograms?

 Beginning 40 years of age, all women should receive yearly mammograms. If you have a family history of the disease, consult your doctor as to the age you should have a baseline mammogram.

 Should young women get mammograms?

 Because young women typically have dense breast tissue, a mammogram is not always the best diagnostic tool for them. For this reason, and because dense breasts also make it more difficult to feel a lump, it is crucial that women aged 20 and older become familiar with their breasts and learn how to spot any unusual changes.

 What is a sonogram?

 A sonogram (or ultrasound) is a test that uses high-frequency sound waves to distinguish between fluid-filled cysts (which absorb sound) and solid masses, (which reflect sound).

 What is a biopsy?

There are essentially four types of biopsies:

• Fine Needle Aspiration - Conducted right in your doctor's office, a long thin needle is inserted into the mass, to draw out representative cells. If the lump can't be felt (e.g., only showed up on a mammogram), then a sonogram can be used simultaneously to ensure the needle is inserted into the suspicious group of cells. One risk of inaccuracy here is that the report can come back benign if the mass contained both cancerous and non-cancerous cells, but the needle only withdrew the non-cancerous cells.
• Core Biopsy - Conducted in the radiologist's office, a core biopsy uses a slightly larger needle (about the size of the lead in a pencil) to take a plug of tissue for a broader sampling of cells. Like the fine needle aspiration, a core biopsy may be done in conjunction with a sonogram.
• ABBI Biopsy - The Advanced Breast Biopsy Imaging system is similar to the machine used for core biopsies, but removes a greater amount of tissue, including healthy tissue. Conducted under local anesthesia, the ABBI also leaves a scar from an incision on the breast.
• Excisional Biopsy - In some cases serving as a lumpectomy, the surgical biopsy is the surgical removal of the entire mass and surrounding tissue, conducted under local anesthesia.