Cancer Discussions, Cancer Support and Community Connection Forum - October 2nd, 2009 - 4 Comments
What kind of tests or examinations should be done for breast cancer?
So I am 20 years old and I began to become more worried about breast cancer.
There is no history of breast cancer in my family but I just thought it would be good to do some early testing just in case.
So I was wondering, what kind of tests should be done to detect breast cancer at age 20? I heard that mannograms should be done around 35. Is there any other examinations that you can do at an early age? And if there is where can I get them done? Regular family physician, gynocologist? Thanks everyone!
You should be doing monthly breast self-examinations.
Annual Dr check -ups should include breast examination.
At about age 40 a base line mammogram should be done.
After this, mammograms should be done every 2nd year.
Unless there is an identified high risk factor, this should be enough to pick up any changes.
There is no reason to do screening tests at your age. You should get a breast exam when you have your annual pap. Mammograms are recommended annually starting at age 40. If you find a lump in your breast before then have your doctor check it. Exposing yourself to unnecessary radiation is never a good idea.
No need for anything special right now, other than your annual physical exam, it includes breast examination by a physician.
Mammogram is traditionally recommended at 40 years old, but since cancer cases have become more frequent in patients previously considered of having a low-risk as young as 35, some specialists recommend to start the mammogram at age 35. Your doctor will give you the best advice about this.
Since there’s no history in your family, no need for genetic testing.
Your family physician is more than qualified to do this, if there’s any abnormal finding, you’ll be referred to the gyno
At your age, I think there may be no need to have an exam for now. Especially if you say that you have no family history of breast cancer. You can have your breast exam when you have your annual pap smear test.
The best you can do for now have a self-exam. So how do you perform a breast self-exam? Here’s how.
First lie down and place your right arm behind your head. Remember that this exam is done while lying down, not standing up. This is because when lying down the breast tissue spreads evenly over the chest wall and is as thin as possible, making it much easier to feel all the breast tissue.
Use the finger pads of the 3 middle fingers on your left hand to feel for lumps in the right breast. Use overlapping dime-sized circular motions of the finger pads to feel the breast tissue. Use 3 different levels of pressure to feel all the breast tissue. Light pressure is needed to feel the tissue closest to the skin; medium pressure to feel a little deeper; and firm pressure to feel the tissue closest to the chest and ribs. A firm ridge in the lower curve of each breast is normal. Use each pressure level to feel the breast tissue before moving on to the next spot.
Move around the breast in an up and down pattern starting at an imaginary line drawn straight down your side from the underarm and moving across the breast to the middle of the chest bone (sternum or breastbone). Be sure to check the entire breast area going down until you feel only ribs and up to the neck or collar bone (clavicle). There is some evidence to suggest that the up-and-down pattern (sometimes called the vertical pattern) is the most effective pattern for covering the entire breast, without missing any breast tissue. Repeat the exam on your left breast, using the finger pads of the right hand.