Running head: BREAST CANCER 1

Breast Cancer Screening

Kaylie Scott

University of Kentucky

Author Note

This paper was completed for Elzaba Mathews CIS 111 class.
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Abstract

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer. It can be found in men and women, although it

is more common in women. Although breast cancer is not preventable, early detection is the best

possibility to beat it. Three screening processes, self-evaluation, mammograms, and MRI can

detect it. These screening processes are all different from each other, but doing all three, or a

combination of them are the best way to make sure that the cancer is quickly detected. Self-

examinations should be done once or twice a month. Mammograms should be done, for women

over 50, every two years. Finally, MRI screening should be done if there is a concern that the

mammogram missed something or if the mammogram came back positive and a second opinion

is wanted.

Keywords: Breast Cancer, Mammogram, Screening, Healthcare

Breast Cancer Screening

Introduction

Currently breast cancer affects much of the population. Men or women can get breast

cancer, but it is more common in women. According to the CDC, In 2013 (the most recent year

numbers are available), 230,815

women and 2,109 men in the

United States were diagnosed

with breast cancer (2013). The

graph to the right shows that in

2013, female breast cancer was

the most common diagnosed

cancer that year.

Currently, the best way to

beat cancer is to diagnose it early. This early diagnosis can be done by several screening

proceses. The three most common screening processes are self-examination, mammograms, and

MRIs. Throughout this paper, the three processes will be examined and compared in order to

make recommendations on which screening process, or processes, should be used.

Self-Examination

The first type of screening is self-examination. Self-examination is the process of

examining the breasts by ones self. This process is done by examining the breasts with hands,

and eyes, to determine if there are any lumps or other abnormalities. This process is very simple

and only takes a few minutes. According to Nationalbreastcancer.org, self-exams help you to be

familiar with how your breasts look and feel so you can alert your healthcare professional if there
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are any changes. (2016). This is very important for young women and for women who are

between their regularly scheduled mammogram. John Hopkins Medicine has found that almost

40% of diagnosed breast cancer comes from women who find an irregularity during self-

examination.

There are some disadvantages with self-examination. One disadvantage is that many

people dont know exactly what to look for and missing something is very common. Another

disadvantage is even if everything is done right, it is not always possible to catch the smallest

tumors. This can mean that the cancer can go unnoticed for a good amount of time.

Mammogram

The second type of screening is called a mammogram. Mammograms are currently the

most recommended process for breast cancer screening. This process is most common for

women who are not currently showing signs of breast cancer. A mammogram is done by taking

an x-ray of the breasts. According to medlineplus.gov, a plate is pressed against your breasts, to

flatten them, and then the standing x-ray is taken. It is recommended that women, ages 50 and

older, should get a mammogram done at least every two years (CDC.gov).

There are also some downsides to mammography. One is that the plate used to compress

your breasts during the screening can cause some pain. This is not a major dilemma, but for

women with low pain tolerances it can deter them. The second disadvantage is that, according to

a study done by Tufts University College of Medicine, it cost more if you want your results to be

read instantly. Again, this is a small disadvantage, but it could be an issue if the patient is in a

time-crunch, or know that the added anxiety from the wait could affect them. Another downside

to mammography is that it is common for them to show false positives. This means that the scans
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show something that looks like it could be a tumor, when it is nothing to worry about. This will

cause a series of more testing to be done and added stress on the patient.

MRI

The third screening process is the use of MRI screening. This screening is generally only

done after a mammogram has detect an abnormality in the breast. The MRI process is done by

adding dye to the breast and then conducting an MRI. The dye is used to make the scans easier to

read and if there are any malignancies they are easier to see. According to an experiment done by

Dr. Bukhari and colleagues, this process is less likely to give false positives than mammograms

are.

There are some disadvantages to this process as well. This process is more invasive than

a mammogram and self-examination. People can also be allergic to the dye that is used, which

can make it harder for this process to be efficient.

Recommendations

After comparing these screening processes there are several recommendations for women

who are looking to lower their mortality rate from breast cancer. The first recommendation is to

do routine self-examination. According to hopkinsmedical.org, Adult women of all ages are

encouraged to perform a breast self-exam at least once a month. (2015). Other places

recommend it every two weeks. This process is simple, and will only take a few minutes. If there

is anything that is concerning during this process, it is best to contact a doctor and get a

professional opinion.

The second recommendation is that women, over the age of 50, should get a routine

mammogram every two years. These mammograms are a simple process, and although they

arent perfect, it is much better to be checked with this than not at all. If the mammogram comes
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back positive, getting a second opinion and an MRI screening should always be the next decision

that you make. Although breast cancer is not preventable, early detection and quick treatment is

the best thing to stop it.

Figure Two: Basic Information about Breast Cancer.

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