Early detection of breast cancer
Every woman must undergo an annual check by her doctor. When taking a medical history, the doctor will calculate whether the woman belongs to a normal or high risk group to develop breast cancer by identifying risk factors that may cause it. These are:
- Age. As the age grows, the risk increases
- Family history, as when one or more of the first-degree relatives have developed breast cancer
- Non-childbearing or first childbirth after the age of 30 years
- Early onset of menstruation (before the age of 12)
- Late-onset menopause (after the age of 55)
- Obesity
- Previous history of breast cancer
- Significant exposure of the chest to radiation
- Previous uterine or ovarian cancer
- Atypical hyperplasia or other pre-malignant condition in the breast
- Probably, frequent alcohol consumption, taking birth control pills for many years and taking estrogen after menopause.
The next step is the careful palpation of the breasts by the doctor who will then recommend an annual mammogram, preferably digital, to be done every year from 40 years old to 75 and every 2 years thereafter.
