• Cancer
    • Colorectal Cancer
    • Lymphoma
    • Penile Cancer
    • Uterine Cancer
    • Breast Cancer
    • Stomach Cancer
    • Bone Cancer
    • Cervical Cancer
    • Brain Cancer
    • Leukemia (Blood Cells Cancer)
    • Endometrial Cancer
    • Neuroblastoma
    • Kidney Cancer
  • Brain
    • Stroke
    • Dyslexia
    • Down Syndrome
    • Cerebral Palsy
    • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
    • Alcoholism
    • Autism
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Epilepsy
    • Schizophrenia
    • Insomnia
    • Alzheimer’s Disease
    • Parkinson’s Disease
    • Migraine
    • Phobia
  • Heart
    • Hypertension
    • Endocarditis
    • Coronary Heart Disease
    • Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack)
    • Arrhythmia
    • Angina
    • Enlarged heart
    • Pericarditis
    • Venous Thromboembolism (VTE)
    • Peripheral Arterial Disease
    • Ventricular Septal Defect
    • Hypotension (Low Blood Pressure)
  • Kidney & URO
    • Chronic Kidney Disease
    • Diabetic Nephropathy
    • Urinary Tract Infection
    • Prostatitis
    • Urinary Incontinence
    • Enlarged Prostate
    • Blood in Urine (Hematuria)
    • Kidney Stones
    • Erectile Dysfunction
    • Cystitis
  • Eye
    • Myopia
    • Glaucoma
    • Dry Eyes
    • Conjunctivitis
    • Cataracts
    • Color Blindness
    • Macular Degeneration
    • Diabetic Retinopathy
    • Retinal Detachment
    • Keratoconus
  • Skin
    • Shingles
    • Rosacea
    • Eczema
    • Vitiligo
    • Psoriasis
    • Scabies
    • Acne
    • Dandruff
  • OBS/GYN
    • Uterine Fibroids
    • Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
    • Vaginitis
    • Endometriosis
    • Preeclampsia
    • Menstruation (Period)
    • Ovarian Cyst
    • Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
  • GI Tract
    • Celiac Disease
    • Hemorrhoids
    • Achalasia
    • Diarrhea
    • Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GRED)
    • Diverticulitis
    • Liver Cirrhosis
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
    • Constipation
    • Appendicitis
    • Ulcerative Colitis
    • Gallstones
    • Crohn’s Disease
  • Bones & Joints
    • Osteoarthritis
    • Osteoporosis
    • Bone Cyst
    • Osteomyelitis (Bone Infection)
    • Sciatica
    • Fibromyalgia
    • Calcium Deficiency (Hypocalcemia)
    • Gout
    • Rickets in Children
    • Spinal Stenosis
  • Dental
    • Periodontal Disease
    • Dental Caries
    • Bad Breath
    • Sensitive Teeth
    • Dry Mouth
    • Supernumerary Teeth
    • Bruxism (Teeth Grinding)
    • Tooth Loss (Edentulism)
    • Impacted Tooth (Tooth Impaction)
  • Others
    • Hyperthyroidism
    • Rhinitis
    • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
    • Thalassemia
    • Hepatitis
    • Sinusitis
    • Acromegaly
    • Health and Wellness
    • Achondroplasia
    • Diabetes Mellitus
    • Asthma
    • Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19)
    • Sleep Apnea
    • Tuberculosis

Write For Us

What's Hot

Physical and Psychological Symptoms of Bulimia

January 28, 2023

The Impact of Gonorrhea on Reproductive and Overall Health

January 28, 2023

The Role of Diet and Exercise in Managing Ankylosing Spondylitis and Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle

January 27, 2023
Facebook Twitter YouTube
DiseaseFix – World's Largest Disease Information Center
  • Write For Us
Facebook Twitter YouTube
  • Cancer
    • Colorectal Cancer
    • Lymphoma
    • Penile Cancer
    • Uterine Cancer
    • Breast Cancer
    • Stomach Cancer
    • Bone Cancer
    • Cervical Cancer
    • Brain Cancer
    • Leukemia (Blood Cells Cancer)
    • Endometrial Cancer
    • Neuroblastoma
    • Kidney Cancer
  • Brain
    • Stroke
    • Dyslexia
    • Down Syndrome
    • Cerebral Palsy
    • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
    • Alcoholism
    • Autism
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Epilepsy
    • Schizophrenia
    • Insomnia
    • Alzheimer’s Disease
    • Parkinson’s Disease
    • Migraine
    • Phobia
  • Heart
    • Hypertension
    • Endocarditis
    • Coronary Heart Disease
    • Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack)
    • Arrhythmia
    • Angina
    • Enlarged heart
    • Pericarditis
    • Venous Thromboembolism (VTE)
    • Peripheral Arterial Disease
    • Ventricular Septal Defect
    • Hypotension (Low Blood Pressure)
  • Kidney & URO
    • Chronic Kidney Disease
    • Diabetic Nephropathy
    • Urinary Tract Infection
    • Prostatitis
    • Urinary Incontinence
    • Enlarged Prostate
    • Blood in Urine (Hematuria)
    • Kidney Stones
    • Erectile Dysfunction
    • Cystitis
  • Eye
    • Myopia
    • Glaucoma
    • Dry Eyes
    • Conjunctivitis
    • Cataracts
    • Color Blindness
    • Macular Degeneration
    • Diabetic Retinopathy
    • Retinal Detachment
    • Keratoconus
  • Skin
    • Shingles
    • Rosacea
    • Eczema
    • Vitiligo
    • Psoriasis
    • Scabies
    • Acne
    • Dandruff
  • OBS/GYN
    • Uterine Fibroids
    • Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
    • Vaginitis
    • Endometriosis
    • Preeclampsia
    • Menstruation (Period)
    • Ovarian Cyst
    • Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
  • GI Tract
    • Celiac Disease
    • Hemorrhoids
    • Achalasia
    • Diarrhea
    • Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GRED)
    • Diverticulitis
    • Liver Cirrhosis
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
    • Constipation
    • Appendicitis
    • Ulcerative Colitis
    • Gallstones
    • Crohn’s Disease
  • Bones & Joints
    • Osteoarthritis
    • Osteoporosis
    • Bone Cyst
    • Osteomyelitis (Bone Infection)
    • Sciatica
    • Fibromyalgia
    • Calcium Deficiency (Hypocalcemia)
    • Gout
    • Rickets in Children
    • Spinal Stenosis
  • Dental
    • Periodontal Disease
    • Dental Caries
    • Bad Breath
    • Sensitive Teeth
    • Dry Mouth
    • Supernumerary Teeth
    • Bruxism (Teeth Grinding)
    • Tooth Loss (Edentulism)
    • Impacted Tooth (Tooth Impaction)
  • Others
    • Hyperthyroidism
    • Rhinitis
    • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
    • Thalassemia
    • Hepatitis
    • Sinusitis
    • Acromegaly
    • Health and Wellness
    • Achondroplasia
    • Diabetes Mellitus
    • Asthma
    • Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19)
    • Sleep Apnea
    • Tuberculosis
DiseaseFix – World's Largest Disease Information Center
Home » Diseases and Conditions » Cancer » Breast Cancer » Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Early Detection

Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Early Detection

Tatheer Zehra Zaidi, M. PharmaBy Tatheer Zehra Zaidi, M. PharmaUpdated:February 21, 20214 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Early Detection
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

Breast cancer is generally found after symptoms appear, but in many cases, breast cancer has no symptoms in the early stages. This is why a regular breast cancer examination and screening is important.

Diagnosing Breast Cancer

Breast Exam

Your doctor will examine both of your breasts and lymph nodes in the armpit to find any lumps or growths or other abnormalities such as changes in the appearance of the skin or breasts.

Breast Ultrasound

Ultrasound is done with a machine that uses sound waves to produce detailed pictures of the structures deep inside the breasts. These images are called sonograms. Ultrasound may help in determining types of lumps of growths such as whether the new breast lump is a solid mass or a fluid-filled cyst.

Mammogram

A mammogram is an X-ray imaging of the breast. Mammograms are generally used to do screening for breast cancer. If an abnormality is found on a mammogram, your doctor may recommend a diagnostic mammogram to further investigate the problem.  This provides a more detailed X-ray of the breast.

Your doctor may ask that you get only a breast ultrasound scan done if you are not tool old (such as under the age of 35). The reason for this is that younger women have denser breasts and a mammogram often fails to detect the abnormality. It is not as effective as ultrasound in detecting the breast cancer.

Biopsy

Biopsy is the only way to make a confirmed diagnosis of breast cancer. A sample of tissue cells is taken from your breast that is suspected of cancer and tested to see if it is cancerous. Biopsy samples are sent to a laboratory for investigation where specialists determine for malignancy. Biopsy test can also determine the type of cells involved in the breast cancer such as the aggressiveness of the cancer and whether the cells have hormone receptors or other receptors that can influence the treatment plan.

Biopsies can be done in many ways. Your doctor will decide about the procedure that is most for you based on your condition. These methods may include such as needle aspiration, needle biopsy, guided needle biopsy, vacuum-assisted biopsy (also known as mammotome biopsy), and other methods.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

MRI is a type of body scanning which involves the use of a magnet connected to a computer-operated machine. MRI machine uses the magnet and high frequency radio waves to create pictures of inside your breast. MRI scan is capable of producing highly detailed pictures of regions inside the breast that are suspected of cancers. A dye is introduced in your body before performing a breast MRI.

The above discussed diagnosis tests are commonly used for screening and diagnosing breast cancer. However, your doctor may conduct other tests and procedures as well used depending on your situation.

Staging of the Breast Cancer

After your doctor has diagnosed the breast cancer, he or she tries to establish the extent and stage of the cancer. This process is called staging. This helps in identifying your prognosis for the disease and the best treatment options suitable for you according to your condition.

Complete information about the stage and spread of your breast cancer is not generally available with the above discussed tests and procedures. The stages of breast cancer range from stage 0 to stage IV. Stage 0 indicates non-invasive cancer or contained within the ducts locally. Stage IV breast cancer (called metastatic breast cancer) indicates that the cancer has spread to other areas of the body such as lymph nodes.

Your doctor may recommend one or more of the following tests to evaluate the stage further:

  • Blood tests (such as a complete blood count)
  • Computerized tomography (CT scan)
  • Bone scan
  • Positron emission tomography (PET) scan

These tests are done to investigate if the cancer cells have spread within the breast or to other parts of the body. Whether the cancer is only in the breast or is in lymph nodes or is under your arm, or has spread outside the breast tells about the stage of the breast cancer.

All women do not need all of these diagnosis tests and procedures. Your doctor chooses the appropriate procedures based on your condition, circumstances, and the symptoms that may likely develop.

Tatheer Zehra Zaidi, M. Pharma
  • LinkedIn

Tatheer Zehra Zaidi is a clinical pharmacist and pharmacologist with a master’s degree in pharmacy practice. She aims to deliver a positive contribution in the field of healthcare and research. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Jamia Hamdard New Delhi and then joined Spirant Communication Private LTD as a Medical content writer. Currently she is working at Maxinov Solutions Private LTD as a research associate and is associated with DiseaseFix as a medical content writer. Tatheer’s areas of interest include clinical research, clinical trial disclosure, and pharmacovigilance.

Related Posts

Moving Forward After Breast Cancer Surgery

December 30, 2022

Five Things Patients Experience Immediately After Breast Cancer Diagnosis

April 23, 2021

Real Life Experiences About Coping With Cancer

April 22, 2021

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Don't Miss
Bulimia Nervosa

Physical and Psychological Symptoms of Bulimia

By Vishakha Yadav3 Mins Read

Bulimia is characterized by repetitive episodes of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors such as purging, excessive exercise, or fasting. Physical symptoms may include weight fluctuations, gastrointestinal problems, dental problems, and electrolyte imbalances. Psychological symptoms may include low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and distorted body image.

The Impact of Gonorrhea on Reproductive and Overall Health

January 28, 2023

The Role of Diet and Exercise in Managing Ankylosing Spondylitis and Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle

January 27, 2023

Treatment Options for Gonorrhea

January 27, 2023
Latest Posts

Physical and Psychological Symptoms of Bulimia

January 28, 2023

The Impact of Gonorrhea on Reproductive and Overall Health

January 28, 2023

The Role of Diet and Exercise in Managing Ankylosing Spondylitis and Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle

January 27, 2023

Treatment Options for Gonorrhea

January 27, 2023

Why Is My Pee Burning? 5 Reasons Urination Can Be Painful

January 25, 2023
About Us
About Us

DiseaseFix is primarily known as an online publisher of disease-centric medical information related to human health and well-being. The information is published as disease modules accessible to users from across the world free of cost.

Email Us: contact@diseasefix.com

Our Picks

Moving Forward After Breast Cancer Surgery

December 30, 2022

Five Things Patients Experience Immediately After Breast Cancer Diagnosis

April 23, 2021

Real Life Experiences About Coping With Cancer

April 22, 2021
Company

Disease Index

About Us

Our Team

Privacy Policy

Disclaimer

Contact Us

Write For Us

 

Facebook Twitter YouTube
© 2023 Diseasefix. All rights reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.