Breast cancer screening

Breast screening helps to detect cancer and other health issues at an early stage, which aids in early treatment. Breast cancer screening methods include the following.

• Breast ultrasound
• Breast examination
• BRCA I and II testing
• Breast biopsy
• Mammograms

Our services at Medical Express Clinic include a breast examination, testing, and consultation with our experienced and professional GPs, who will discuss the right course of action depending on your medical and family history and the presence or absence of symptoms.

If your concern is breast cancer prevention, our GP will examine you, ask if you have any concerning symptoms, and discuss your risk factors. If you have any specific symptoms you are worried about, our GP may refer you to a specialist for further screening, such as a mammogram, biopsy, or ultrasound. We also have some testing options to help you understand your risks.

Symptoms

Monitoring your breasts regularly is important to ensure you notice any unusual symptoms or changes as soon as possible to get a doctor to check you.

Breast cancer is common, affecting one in eight women during their lifetime. The treatment is more effective when started early, and increased awareness aids a successful treatment.

Ageing, a family history of the disease, and being a woman are the three major risks of breast cancer. While breast cancer also affects men, its occurrence is low. Only one in 870 men develop breast cancer during their lifetime, meaning men account for only 0.5% of breast cancer diagnoses. Most breast cancer diagnoses are in women in their 50s.

Other risk factors for breast cancer are hormone levels, weight gain (particularly menopausal weight gain), lifestyle factors, and reproductive history. About 5% of cancer diagnoses occur through the BRCA I and II genes.

If you have a family history of breast cancer, you can get tested for these genes. Consider asking your GP at your next appointment.

Symptoms that may indicate breast cancer include:

• A lump or swelling in the breast
• Discharge from the nipples
• Lumps or swelling around the collarbones or armpits
• Changes in the skin surface (dimpling, unevenness or puckering)
• Areas of dense breast tissue
• Red rash on the skin of the nipples or breasts
• Changes in size, shape or appearance of the breasts

Breast cancer may show subtle symptoms, which makes regular self-checks important. In most cases, a change or a lump in the breast tissue is benign (non-cancerous), but paying attention to any slight changes and reporting them to your doctor is important.

Treatments

Treatments for breast cancer include:

Breast cancer typing

Every breast cancer is unique, so breast cancer typing is important to identify differences between tumours.

Mastectomy (preventive) and breast reconstruction

Women who are worried about breast cancer and have a high risk for it or have developed breast cancer can undergo this procedure.

Chemotherapy for breast cancer

Chemotherapy drugs have different working mechanisms, so doctors recommend a combination of certain medications to prevent the cancer cells from dividing and spreading.

What happens during breast screening?

• Breast screening involves X-rays of the breasts, called mammograms, to check for any changes or breast cancer signs before they are obvious.
• A female mammographer will carry out the breast screening
• Breast screening is important to detect and prevent breast cancer
• It increases the chances of early detection, which improves the chances of recovery and reduces the need for aggressive treatments, such as chemotherapy
• Breast screening is safe, easy, and simple. You can schedule the appointment at any time of the day.

Our breast cancer screening at Medical Express Clinic offers you the opportunity to have an experienced doctor check for early signs of breast cancer. Our doctors also offer specialist referrals when necessary and preventive healthcare to help manage your risks.