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Mammogram and Breast Cancer Screening


Cancer screening
The term screening is commonly used for a test that is used for evaluation of a person for possible disease without the person ever having any symptoms or signs of the disease. Screening tests are usually undertaken in a target population, which has significantly high risk of developing the disease. Mammogram is a screening technique used for breast cancer, and the target population for mammogram is women who are aged 40 and above. PSA testing is a screening test for prostate cancer and the target population is men over 50 years of age. Screening tests cannot be employed in all diseases. In some cases a useful screening test may not be available, and in some other cases it may not be worth screening for a disease because screening and finding out the disease early may not change the natural history of disease. The later is probably true in case of screening of lung cancer. From the studies so far published, there is no clear evidence to suggest that screening for lung cancer in high-risk population (smokers) would improve survival.

Breast cancer screening
Unlike lung cancer, breast cancer can be screened using available techniques with beneficial results. Mammogram is the only accepted screening test for breast cancer. Mammogram till this date may have saved lives of thousands of women, by detecting the disease at a very early stage, when it is mostly curable. Screening for mammogram does not prevent the occurrence of breast cancer, but instead it provides a very simple and useful technique to detect breast cancer at a very early stage. Mammogram is capable of detecting breast cancer at a stage prior to infiltration of the tumor to the surrounding structures, called stage 0 breast cancer or carcinoma in situ. Recommendations for breast cancer screening vary from country to country and within the same country according to the views of different organizations who recommend the screening. American Cancer Society recommends that "women age 40 and older should have a screening mammogram every year and should continue to do so for as long as they are in good health."

What is a mammogram?
Mammogram is just an X-ray photograph of your breast, and works in principle the same way as your chest X-ray. The breast tissue is compressed between two plates and an X-ray picture is taken. Doctors would look at the X-ray and determine if there are any abnormalities in the picture. Breast cancer usually appears in the form of calcifications, architectural distortions, or abnormal densities. Since mammogram uses X-rays, there may be slight risk associated with exposure to radiation in women who get mammograms. However the amount of radiation associated with mammogram examination is very small and is strictly controlled by regulatory agencies like National Department of Health and Human Services. Very strict regulations are enforced by this agency to make sure that mammography equipment is safe and uses the lowest dose of radiation possible. The dose of radiation used by the modern mammogram machines does not significantly increase the risk of breast cancer.

Digital mammography
Digital mammograms are similar to conventional X-ray film mammograms except that the pictures are produced in the digital media in a computer. Digital pictures have the advantages of manipulation of light and contrast and hence would be more useful for the studying the mammography picture. It was claimed in the past that digital mammogram is superior to conventional mammograms in terms of accuracy, however a recent study has shown that digital mammography no better than regular mammography.

Computer Aided Detection (CAD)
CAD is sophisticated computer program that can compare areas of the digital mammography picture and aid the physician to more easily detect breast cancer. Studies have shown that CAD system improved diagnostic accuracy by about 20 percent.

Clinical breast examination and self breast examination
An article on breast cancer screening will not be complete without mentioning clinical breast examination and (CBE) and self breast examination (SBE). CBE and SBE are useful adjuvant to mammogram for detection of breast cancer. It is also to be mentioned that about 10 percent of all tumors that can be felt by the physicians may not be seen in a mammogram, hence if the physician feels a tumor, the absence of abnormality in the mammogram does not ensure absence of a breast tumor. Such patients should be evaluated by biopsy.

Self-breast examination as the name implies denotes examination of breast by women, without the help of a physician. This can be undertaken in the privacy of their home. Probably the best time to do a self-breast examination is while taking showers. Women can ask their physicians to teach them the technique of self-breast examination. American Cancer Society recommends "women in 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast examination (CBE) as part of a periodic (regular) health exam by a health professional preferably every 3 years. After age 40, women should have a breast exam by a health professional every year." Regarding self-breast examination, American Cancer Society gives the following recommendations: "BSE is an option for women starting in their 20s. Women should be told about the benefits and limitations of BSE. Women should report any breast changes to their health professional right away."

The author is the webmaster for http://medicineworld.org which features many useful articles and news items related to cancer. You can find more information on breast cancer, breast cancer news, and breast cancer treatment in author's breast cancer page of the website.


MORE RESOURCES:
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A new promising enzyme target for a specific type of breast cancer, Brk, has been identified in research published on August 21, 2008 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS.) In a specific subset of breast cancer patients, the tumor cells produce high levels of the protein ErbB2 (also called HER2) which pushes the cells to proliferate without limit, a characteristic common of all cancers.

The American Medical Student Association (AMSA), the nation's oldest and largest, independent association for physicians-in-training, announces the commencement of AMSA Academy, a training ground for physician leaders. Established by students, for students, AMSA Academy takes medical students through the core competencies of leadership and project implementation, while building on key principles of important topics in medicine. There are currently 22 programs offered.

Happiness and optimism may play a role against breast cancer while adverse life events can increase the risk of developing the disease, according to a study by Professor Ronit Peled, at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel. An article on the study titled "Breast Cancer, Psychological Distress and Life Events among Young Women," was just published in the British journal BMC Cancer (8:245, August 2008).

Feelings of happiness and optimism play a positive role against breast cancer. Research published in the open access journal BMC Cancer suggests that while staying positive has a protective role, adverse life events such as the loss of a parent or close relative, divorce or the loss of a spouse can increase a woman's risk of developing the disease.

New research may explain why breast cancer tends to be more aggressive in women with denser breast tissue. Breast cancer cells grown in dense, rigid surroundings step up their invasive activities, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center investigators report in the Sept. 9 issue of Current Biology. The findings suggest a cellular mechanism for the correlation between human breast tissue density and tumor aggressiveness.

Two independent research groups have found that simultaneous inhibition of two signaling pathways resulted in substantially enhanced antitumor effects in mouse models of prostate and breast cancer. In an accompany commentary, Steven Grant, at Virginia Commonwealth University Health Science Center, Richmond, discusses the clinical importance of these studies and highlights some of the questions that still need to be answered.

A new study published on bmj.com argues that for older women, health related quality of life can be improved by hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The authors recommend that HRT guidelines should be revised with this most current evidence taken into consideration. Earlier studies have shown that HRT has the potential for general improvements in quality of life measures - how patients feel or function.

Duke University chemists have patented an efficient technique for synthesizing a marine algae extract in sufficient quantities to now test its ability to inhibit the growth of cancerous cells while leaving normal cells unaffected. The researchers also deduced that this molecule -- called largazole -- acts on cells through the same chemical mechanism as other anti-cancer compounds on the market or in clinical trials.

Seeking to improve on nature, scientists used a spice-based compound as a starting point and developed synthetic molecules that, in lab settings, are able to kill cancer cells and stop the cells from spreading. The researchers are combining organic chemistry, computer-aided design and molecular biology techniques in developing and testing pharmaceutical compounds that can fight breast and prostate cancer cells.

ImClone Systems Incorporated (NASDAQ: IMCL), a global leader in the development and commercialization of novel antibodies to treat cancer, today announced that the first patient has been treated in a global Phase 3 clinical trial of IMC-1121B, its anti-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) IgG1 monoclonal antibody, in women with metastatic breast cancer.

Advocates, including those for breast cancer patients, are concerned about their relationship with pharmaceutical company Genentech following Roche's bid for the company, the

A decade-long Nebraska study that showed disparities in breast and cervical cancer screenings could have spurred changes that raised the percentage of women screened in the state. "Disparities in screening between racial and ethnic groups, even in a homogeneous state such as Nebraska, are a problem and by digging into some of the differences we were able to have an impact on breast and cervical cancer screening," said lead study author Shingairai Feresu, Ph.D.

Women who survive breast cancer for at least five years after treatment have an 89% chance that they will not have a recurrence of the cancer after 10 years and an 81% chance after 15 years, according to a study published online Tuesday in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute,

Research by scientists at the University of Sheffield suggests that the combination of zoledronic acid (a drug used to prevent bone loss) and chemotherapy agent doxorubicin could stop the growth of breast cancer tumours. Dr Alexis Willett, Policy Manager at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, says: "Breakthrough welcomes any research which investigates new uses for existing treatments to help benefit people with breast cancer.

An article published in The Lancet Oncology reports that postmenopausal women with breast cancer who are on endocrine treatment are likely to experience arthralgia and arthritis (joint symptoms) if they previously have used hormone replacement therapy (HRT), received a hormone-receptor positive tumor diagnosis, undergone chemotherapy, received treatment with anastrozole versus tamoxifen, or been obese.

Scientists in the UK and Finland have discovered that a new combination of the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin and the bone-protecting drug zoledronic acid, both of which are considerably cheaper than herceptin, stopped breast cancer tumors growing in mice. Experts suggest that since both drugs are already in use, and if the combination proves effective and safe in human clinical trials, it should not take as long for it to be available as a new treatment for patients.

Breast cancer patients and their physicians may make more informed, long-term treatment decisions using risk assessment strategies to help determine probability of recurrence, a research team led by scientists at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center reported in the Aug. 12 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Breast cancer patients and their physicians may make more informed, long-term treatment decisions using risk assessment strategies to help determine probability of recurrence, a research team led by scientists at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center reported in the Aug. 12 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Famous names from the fashion, television, radio and music industries have come together to back Fashion Targets Breast Cancer® (FTBC) UK in an advertising campaign which subtly plays on the topic of celebrity charity endorsement. Natalie Imbruglia, Anna Friel, Alan Carr, Edith Bowman and Twiggy have been shot by acclaimed photographer Rankin wearing their FTBC T-shirts with pride for the campaign from leading charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer which aims to raise £1m.

US researchers estimated that the risk of relapse for breast cancer patients who were cancer-free for five years after systemic therapy (chemotherapy, hormone therapy, or both, as well as surgery) was not negligible although it was probably lower than many people realized.

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPHM) announced that patient screening and dosing has begun in a Phase II trial designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of bavituximab in combination with chemotherapy in patients with advanced breast cancer.

American Airlines, the world's largest airline, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, the world's largest breast cancer organization, announced an expanded partnership with the unveiling of two specially co-branded aircraft, an American Airlines Boeing 757 and an American Eagle Embraer 145, each incorporating the renowned vivid pink-ribbon motif.

Geron Corporation (Nasdaq: GERN) announced the enrollment of the first patient in a clinical trial of its telomerase inhibitor drug, GRN163L, in locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer. The primary objective of the Phase I/II, dose escalation study is to determine the safety, maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and objective response rate of GRN163L when administered intravenously in combination with a paclitaxel/bevacizumab regimen in this patient population.

A new discovery may lead to more effective screening and treatment for patients with a difficult to recognize syndrome characterized by tumor-like growths and a high risk of developing specific cancers. The research, published by Cell Press in the August 7 issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics, is the first in over thirteen years to identify an alternate susceptibility gene for Cowden syndrome (CS) and related disorders.

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