New Delhi: The phrase ‘Early Detection’, when broken into two parts, means finding the symptoms of breast cancer early so we can detect cancer early. Breast cancer is divided into early breast cancer and advanced or metastatic breast cancer. When we find breast cancer in the early stages, the survival rates are very high, and the treatment options needed are reduced. Breast cancer treatment includes options such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, hormone therapy, and targeted therapy. In stage zero and stage one breast cancer, surgery may no longer require breast removal; the breast can often be saved. Chemotherapy and radiation may not be necessary, and hormone therapy may or may not be required. However, if breast cancer is found in advanced and later stages, most or all of the treatment above options become necessary to cure the cancer. Therefore, finding it early is crucial to minimize the extent of treatment required.
Dr. Asha Reddy, Consultant in breast Surgery at Apollo Cancer Centre, Chennai, said that a 99% survival rate can be unlocked under one condition.
In terms of survival, refers to how long a person lives after treatment. When we look at breast cancer, we call pre-cancer or DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ) early or stage zero cancer. The survival rates for patients diagnosed with stage zero or precancerous cancer are 99%, meaning they can go on to live a normal lifespan, as they would if they did not have cancer. So again, why would you not want to find the cancer at this stage? When it comes to breast cancer, there is no particular action you can take to completely prevent it, which is why the focus is entirely on early detection. Detecting cancers early is crucial.
Now that we have discussed how early detection saves lives, what can every woman or person do to detect these cancers early?
Empowering Yourself with Two Essential Methods for Early Breast Cancer Detection that Every Woman Should Know
For women, there are two methods that are most important. The first method is a self-breast examination. A self-breast examination is where every woman examines herself once a month in a systematic manner so that she understands how her breast looks and feels normally. If there is any abnormality found during this examination, the woman will be the first one to notice it and can then take it to a doctor for further testing and diagnosis. This is important because cancers can happen at any time, even between routine screenings. Who else should know their health better than each individual? Therefore, placing focus on self-breast examination and doing it regularly will help detect these cancers at a very early stage and, as we discussed, save lives through early detection.
The second method is screening. Screening means going for a test and checking yourself when everything is normal, not waiting until something is abnormal. We recommend screening for the breast in the form of a mammogram once a year on a routine basis. Screening with a mammogram can pick up early breast cancers or precancerous conditions. Early breast cancer or precancer can be detected before a lump even forms so that it can be treated at the precancerous stage.
By implementing these two methods—screening and self-breast examination, which includes awareness—we can address all the symptoms of breast cancer. Being aware, performing regular self-breast examinations, and undergoing routine screenings are the key points to detecting cancer early.
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