Screening methods to find breast cancer include clinical breast examination (doctors or nurses examine women’s breasts for lumps), mammography, and other imaging techniques. Screening may find cancers early, when they are most treatable.Widespread use of screening mammograms has increased the number of breast cancers found before they cause any symptoms. Still some breast cancers are not found by mammograms, either because the test was not done or because even under ideal conditions mammograms do not find every breast cancer.

How are screening and diagnostic mammograms different?

Diagnostic mammography takes longer than screening mammography because more x-rays are needed to obtain views of the breast from several angles. The technician may magnify a suspicious area to produce a detailed picture that can help the doctor make an accurate diagnosis.

IN THE SHOWER

Using the pads of your fingers, move around your entire breast in a circular pattern moving from the outside to the center, checking the entire breast and armpit area. Check both breasts each month feeling for any lump, thickening, or hardened knot. Notice any changes and get lumps evaluated by your healthcare provider.

IN FRONT OF A MIRROR

Visually inspect your breasts with your arms at your sides. Next, raise your arms high overhead.Look for any changes in the contour, any swelling, or dimpling of the skin, or changes in the nipples. Next, rest your palms on your hips and press firmly to flex your chest muscles. Left and right breasts will not exactly match—few women’s breasts do, so look for any dimpling, puckering, or changes, particularly on one side.

LYING DOWN

A mammogram is an x-ray picture of the breast.Mammograms can be used to check for breast cancer in women who have no signs or symptoms of the disease. This type of mammogram is called a screening mammogram. Screening mammograms usually involve two x-ray pictures, or images, of each breast. The x-ray images make it possible to detect tumors that cannot be felt. Screening mammograms can also find microcalcifications (tiny deposits of calcium) that sometimes indicate the presence of breast cancer.

Being told you have breast cancer can be scary and stressful. You probably have a lot of questions and concerns. Learning about the disease, how it’s treated, and how this information might apply to you is a lot to do on your own. You might need some help. Your American Cancer Society can give you general information about this disease and its treatment, but your doctor is the best source of information about your situation.

It’s important for you to be able to talk frankly and openly with your cancer care team. They want to answer all of your questions, no matter how minor they might seem to you. But it helps if you know what to ask. Here are some questions that you can use to help you better understand breast cancer and your options. Don’t be afraid to take notes and tell the doctors or nurses when you don’t understand what they’re saying.
The questions are grouped by where you are in the process of cancer treatment. Not all of these questions will apply to you, but they should help get you started.
For more information on breast cancer please contact your American Cancer Society toll free at 1- 800-227-2345 or online at www.cancer.org.