Breast cancer Screening

The breast is made up of different tissue, ranging from very fatty tissue to very dense tissue. Breast cancer  begins when healthy cells in the breast change and grow out of control, forming a mass or sheet of cells called a tumor. A tumor can be cancerous or benign. A cancerous tumor is malignant, meaning it can grow and spread to other parts of the body. A benign tumor means the tumor can grow but will not spread. Breast cancer spreads when the cancer migrates  to other parts of the body or when breast cancer cells move to other parts of the body through the blood vessels and/or lymph vessels. This is called a metastasis.
 Although breast cancer most commonly spreads to nearby lymph nodes, it can also spread further through the body to areas such as the bones, lungs, liver, and brain. If breast cancer re-surfaces after initial treatment, it can recur locally, meaning in the breast and/or regional lymph nodes.

 Breast cancer screening can be done in several ways :

• Mammography. Mammography is a type of x-ray specifically designed to view the breast. The images produced by mammography can show tumors or irregularities in the breast. 
•  Clinical breast examination. A medical professional looks and feels for any changes in the breast’s size or shape. The examiner also looks for changes in the texture of the breasts and nipples. 
•  Breast self-examination. During this exam, a woman looks and feels for changes in her own breasts. If she notices any anomalies, she should see a doctor. 
•  Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An MRI is not regularly used to screen for breast cancer. But it may be helpful for women with a higher risk of breast cancer, those with dense breasts, or when a lump is found during a breast exam. 

 For the diagnosis of most types of cancer, a biopsy is the only sure way for the doctor to know if an area of the body has cancer or not. In a biopsy, the doctor takes a small sample of tissue for testing in a laboratory. A doctor may consider these factors when choosing a diagnostic test:

1.  The type of cancer suspected .
2. Your signs and symptoms. 
3. Your age and general health .
4. The results of earlier medical tests.  

The series of tests needed to evaluate a possible breast cancer usually begins when a woman or her doctor discover a mass or abnormal calcifications on a screening mammogram, or a lump or nodule in the woman’s breast during a clinical or self-examination. Less commonly, a woman might notice a red or swollen breast or a mass or nodule under the arm.