Breast calcifications are calcium deposits that appear as white dots on a mammogram. They can vary in type (i.e., size), pattern, and arrangement, and the significance of each of these can vary considerably. While many people associate calcifications with breast cancer, there are a number of other potential causes, ranging from benign breast conditions such…
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Non-cancerous and cancerous breast lumps can be very different from each other when it comes to how they feel during a breast exam and what they look like in imaging tests. However, a number of benign breast lesions that mimic breast cancer, so sometimes it takes further testing to know for sure what’s going on in your…
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The Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) is a numerical scale ranging between 0 and 6 that is used in mammogram, breast ultrasound, and breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reports. It is a standardized way to report your risk of breast cancer based on your diagnostic tests. A BI-RADS number helps your doctors communicate…
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Palpation is the process of using one’s hand or fingers to identify a disease or injury of the body. It is used by medical practitioners to determine the size, shape, firmness, or location of an abnormality suggestive of disease. This may include: Feeling the texture of the skin for evidence of swelling or inflammation Assessing…
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The term “no evidence of disease” (NED) is often used with cancer when there is no physical evidence of the disease on examination or imaging tests after treatment. The term means the same thing as complete remission or complete response. NED does not, however, mean that a cancer is cured, and, with most cancers, there…
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What does it mean to be told you have breast cancer stage zero? The confusion over what the staging means can lead to misunderstanding of the condition, treatment course, and outcomes. DCIS or Stage 0 Breast Cancer Is Often Misunderstood Many people who have been diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) or stage 0…
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Breast cancer is among the leading causes of cancer in women. According to estimates from the American Cancer Society, it is anticipated that over 250,000 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2018. And, despite advances in early breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, over 40,000 women are expected to die of the condition…
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The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends that women 20 to 39 get a clinical breast exam (CBE) once every three years during their annual well-woman visit. Your primary doctor may do one at every yearly check-up. When you are 40 and older, the ACS recommends that you get a CBE annually. Having a clinical breast…
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If you’ve heard that mammograms can sometimes miss tumors, or that ultrasounds can play a role in diagnosis you may be wondering, “Why don’t we have annual ultrasounds instead of mammograms?” After all, mammograms can be uncomfortable, expose you to radiation, and on top of that, breast ultrasounds are better at detecting some abnormalities. Let’s talk about…
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It is fairly common for people to be diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. Stage 2 tumors are usually between 2 cm and 5 cm in diameter (1 inch to 2.5 inches) and may or may not have spread to lymph nodes. Treatment usually includes surgery (either a lumpectomy or mastectomy) and adjuvant chemotherapy is…
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Stage 3 breast cancer is more advanced than stage 2, but it is not considered metastatic. For this diagnosis, cancer has not spread from the breast to organs or other distant sites in the body, but cancer cells will have traveled to nearby underarm (axillary) lymph nodes, or lodged in lymph nodes beneath your breastbone…
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A diagnosis of any stage of breast cancer can cause fear and panic. Even though you may be reassured that you have the earliest stage of breast cancer you may feel frightened and overwhelmed. We’ve learned that our emotional reactions to the diagnosis are similar no matter what the prognosis. What is the definition of…
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