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Fitness & Exercise for Senior Citizens
Breast Cancer Awareness Month Focuses on Latest
Screening Guidelines
Breast cancer death rate steadily declines and
screening gets much credit
 Oct. 1, 2007 Today begins Breast Cancer Awareness
Month and with the goal of continuing the decline in breast cancer death
rates the emphasis is on increased awareness of the recommended
screening guidelines, since early detection greatly increases chance for
successful treatment.
According to the American Cancer Society, breast
cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women with more than
178,000 new cases expected this year as are more than 40,000 deaths,
which make this the second leading cause of cancer death.
The good news is that breast cancer death rates
have steadily decreased since 1990 and much of this decline is
attributed to early detection through breast cancer screening.
Breast Cancer Screening
The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer
Center recommends women have:
clinical breast exams every one to three years beginning at age 20
yearly mammograms and clinical breast exams beginning at age 40
M. D. Anderson does not recommend that women
conduct a formal breast self-examination anymore, but instead
recommends that women be familiar with their breasts.
All women should be familiar with their breasts so
that they will notice any changes and report them to their doctor
without delay, says Banu Arun, M.D., associate professor in M. D.
Andersons Department of Breast Medical Oncology and director of the
Clinical Cancer Genetics program.
MRI for Women at High Risk
In a recent study, results showed that when certain
women at high risk for breast cancer have both a mammogram and magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI), there is a better chance for breast cancer to
be detected early when it is easiest to treat.
The American Cancer Society recently updated its
breast cancer screening guidelines to include MRI scans, in addition to
mammography, for certain women at high risk of developing breast cancer.
They recommend an MRI and mammogram for women who have one of the
following:
genetic test results showing a gene mutation: BRCA 1 or 2, Li-Fraumeni
syndrome, Cowden syndrome or Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome
first-degree relative (parent, child, sibling) with one of the above
mutations (if the woman has not yet been tested)
lifetime breast cancer risk of 20 to 25 percent or greater on an
accepted risk assessment tool predominantly based on family history
history of radiation therapy to the chest (between the ages of 10 and
30)
M. D. Anderson has been following these guidelines
for the past three years among women at high risk in our Clinical Cancer
Genetics program, says Arun.
At this time, it is unknown whether an MRI is
beneficial for women at high risk who do not meet any of the above
criteria. For most women, MRI scans have not yet been shown to be
beneficial for breast cancer screening.
Women should speak with their health care provider
to determine if they are at high risk of developing breast cancer and if
an MRI scan would be appropriate. A womans health care provider can
help her determine what screening tests are appropriate. Women also
should check with their health insurance company to see if the cost of a
screening MRI is covered.
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
The first NBCAM program took place in October 1985
as a week-long event to fill the information void in public
communication about breast cancer. The founding members of the Board of
Sponsors, the American Academy of Family Physicians, AstraZeneca
Healthcare Foundation and CancerCare, Inc., distributed brochures, spoke
to news reporters, and testified before a U.S. Congressional committee
about the crucial need for widespread access to mammography.
Today the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM)
organization is comprised of several national public service
organizations, professional medical associations, and government
agencies working in partnership to build breast cancer awareness, share
information and provide access to screening services.
For more on Breast Cancer Awareness Month, visit
http://www.nbcam.com/
For more information on breast cancer screening and
MRI, visit
http://www.mdanderson.org/cancerawareness.
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