Breast Cancer Screening Keys

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the idea is to educate women about early detection and raise money for the cure. Sometimes women are afraid to go see their doctors for the screening, but this month women are mustering courage and doing it.

In Georgia, approximately 6,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year and more than 1,080 women lose their lives to breast cancer annually. The following explains what screening tests are available and where you can be screened.

Screening Tests

Breast cancer screening means checking a woman's breasts for cancer before there are signs or symptoms of the disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend three teststhat are used to screen the breasts for cancer. Talk to your doctor about which tests are right for you.

• Mammogram. A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast. Mammograms are the best method to detect breast cancer early when it is easier to treat and before it is big enough to feel or cause symptoms. Having regular mammograms can lower the risk of dying from breast cancer. If you are age 50 to 74 years, be sure to have a screening mammogram every two years. If you are age 40–49 years, talk to your doctor about when and how often you should have a screening mammogram.
• Clinical breast exam. A clinical breast exam is an examination by a doctor or nurse, who uses his or her hands to feel for lumps or other changes.
• Breast self-exam. A breast self-exam is when you check your own breasts for lumps, changes in size or shape of the breast, or any other changes in the breasts or underarm.

Which tests to choose: Having a clinical breast exam or a breast self-exam have not been found to decrease risk of dying from breast cancer, according to the U.S. Prevention Services Taskforce. The best way to find breast cancer is with a mammogram. If you choose to have clinical breast exams and to perform breast self-exams, be sure you also get regular mammograms. Talk with your doctor about how often you need mammograms.

Where Can I Go to Get Screened?

If you want to be screened for breast cancer, call your doctor's office. They can help you schedule an appointment. Most health insurance companies pay for the cost of breast cancer screening tests.

For those who cannot afford a physician, the Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (BCCP) is available at the Cobb County health department. The BCCP is designed to increase awareness of breast and cervical cancer and serve low-income women who are uninsured or under-insured through screenings.

The program provides clinical breast and pelvic exams, pap tests, mammogram referrals, and diagnostic services to eligible women between the ages of 40-64 years of age.

The following are the steps that the Cobb County Public Health Department recommends for good breast health:

1. Breast self-exam every month starting at age 20.
2. Clinical breast exam by health care provider every three years at age 20-39, and every year after 40.
3. An annual screening mammogram starting at age 40.

For more information, call Cobb Public Health at 770-514-2314.

The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) also offers free or low-cost mammograms and education about breast cancer. Find out if you qualify.