The New Trends in Breast Cancer Screening

As many women continue in the battle against breast cancer, the debate over the effectiveness of diagnosis and screening continues to rage on. As one of the leading health complications in women, breast cancer is noted to be the second leading cause of cancer death in women. With this fact, methods for screening women, both at-risk and not at-risk, are being re-evaluated.

Most physicians agree that breast self examination, while effective as a non-invasive screening tool for breast complications, is not effective for most women. This fact is simply based on the fact that most women do not diligently practice breast self examination. As a result, the healthcare community must design the best screening and diagnostic programs and work to prevent the risks of cancers in women. In addition, clinical breast examinations, those done by the healthcare professional, will only detect approximately five percent of breast cancers; thus further supporting the need for better screening and diagnostic guidelines.

While film mammography has been used for many years, many healthcare professionals are now utilizing computer-aided digital mammography to provide a more clear resolution and more accurate findings. But, this is still not enough in the detection of breast cancer.

Ultrasound and MRI are the additional testing many healthcare professionals are turning to in the detection and screening of breast cancer. While these tests, alone, may produce false-positive results, the recommendation, especially when screening women who are at-risk for breast cancer, has been to combine mammography, sonogram and MRI into a three-prong approach, annually, especially for women beginning at age 30.

In addition to the use of MRI studies, healthcare professionals are also using PET scans to diagnose and screen for breast cancer in women. While the PET scan is costly and limited in the detection of breast cancer, many women are opting to assume the additional costs to ensure a full and comprehensive view of the breasts are evaluated.