What happens when you visit the doctor?
One visits a doctor when they notice any signs that could allude to breast cancer. Your doctor may ask about your family medical history regarding breast problems, types of medication you take (if it includes hormone replacement therapy or contraceptives) as well as questions regarding any previous medical procedure done on your breasts.
The doctor then does a routine physical breast examination to feel for lumps. If the doctor notices anything unusual, he orders one or more of the following diagnostic tests.
Mammogram: A mammogram is an X-rayed picture of the breasts—this one of the most common methods used to detect breast cancer.
A patient has to stand in front of a special type of X-Ray machine, where the technologist presses your breast flat and firmly between two plastic plates which will be above and below your breasts. The technologist takes a front view as well as the side view of the breasts.
Any abnormality in the mammogram could mean that you may need further tests to rule out various conditions until a proper diagnosis is made. If the mammogram appears to be normal, continue taking this test periodically.
Ultrasound scan: A breast ultrasound is done when your radiologist may find any abnormality in the mammogram, or during your physical examination. The ultrasound may help detect tumors or cysts. Before getting a breast ultrasound, the patient is asked to remove clothing and items of jewelry. The patient is then asked to lie on their back, after which the technologist puts a clear, warm gel on the skin over the breast area. The technologist then runs a transducer over and around the breasts to study the area. Once the procedure is finished, the technologist wipes the gel off your breasts.
Ultrasound is recommended over mammograms if the patient is below the age 25, pregnant (to prevent the fetus from early exposure to radiation), or has dense breast muscles that prevent the mammogram from seeing through it. Ultrasounds can miss out on early signs of breast cancer, which is why it is rarely used to detect them unless the cancer is in the late stages.
Fine needle aspiration (FNA): This procedure involves inserting a very thin, hollow needle attached to a syringe into an abnormal area of the breast and extracting a small amount of tissue or fluid from a suspicious area. The doctor either feels for the suspicious area or uses an ultrasound to guide the needle into the suspicious area. The collected sample is then tested for cancer cells.
In very rare cases, the doctor uses a local anesthetic during FNA, but it is not required as the needle used is very thin. The area around the lump may swell after the biopsy, but that isn’t something the patient has to worry about.
Times the procedure may cause bleeding, bruising, or swelling, which will go away over time.
If the fluid that is aspirated is green, brown or tan, or if it is a bloody or clear fluid, then the lump could mostly be a cyst. A bloody or clear fluid could, in rare cases, be cancer. If the tissue collected appears solid, then further tests are conducted to determine what the lump is.
Core biopsy: This diagnostic test is similar to a fine needle aspiration, except the needle used here is larger and thicker. The patient is also given local anesthesia to numb the area.
The doctor either feels the lump and guides the needle or uses an ultrasound to guide the needle to the lump. The tissue extracted is then studied by a pathologist to look for any cancer cells.
If any of the above tests point towards breast cancer, then your doctor starts planning for your treatment. It may sound worrisome at the beginning, but there are always support groups and helplines that you can seek out to help you deal with this new change. The Lucknow Breast Cancer Support Group is one such place where you can come to know all you need about breast cancer and how you can manage the condition. Everyone here is out to help you.
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