Thu, May 12, 2016 at 05:00 AM

Breast cancer risk factors and how you can detect it early

It can never be said too many times – early detection is the best tool we have in fighting cancer.

Dr. Cynthia Monk knows very well about that fight. As a general surgeon, patients are referred to her for surgery when they have an abnormal mammogram. Dr. Monk talks about what risk factors for breast cancer are and what you can do to detect it early. Here are some basic guidelines for women of all ages. 

Risk factors for breast cancer include the following:

• Age
• Age at which you started having a period
• Age at first live birth
• Number of first-degree relatives (mother, sisters, daughters) with breast cancer
• Number of previous breast biopsies (whether positive or negative)
• At least one breast biopsy with an abnormal result

How to detect it early

1. Follow the general screening guidelines for mammograms. 

Dr. Monk strongly recommends women begin annual mammograms at age 40 or 45 for those with average risks. Women with a first-degree history should start mammograms 10 years before the age of that occurrence. For example, if your mother’s breast cancer was diagnosed at age 45, they you should being yearly scans at age 35. 

2. Don’t ignore any changes you notice in your breasts. 

Make an appointment and discuss them with your doctor right away. Self-examinations are very important because a small percentage of cancers don’t show up on mammography. Prognosis, though, is much improved in cancers that show up in scans rather than when they are physically noticeable. 

3. A follow-up ultrasound or MRI.

Some women have the issue of dense breast tissue, which appears white on mammograms and can mask the presence of tumors. For those women, doctors recommend a follow-up ultrasound or MRI. An ultrasound is a great test for breasts more than 50 percent density because it uses no radiation and is non-invasive. 

“If you can catch it before it reaches one centimeter it really improves the chances,” Dr. Monk says. 

A healthy lifestyle also is very important in preventing cancer. 

“It can really increase your risks of not getting cancer,” she says.

Dr. Monk practices at the Cornerstone General Surgery Clinic located at 1939 Patterson Street, Suite 102 in Guntersville. For appointments call (256) 486-9596