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“I
cannot say
enough about Dr. Larson. He made me feel comfortable at a time when I needed
comfort. The staff were like angels. Their positive attitude helped my
attitude be positive.”
—Donna
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Breast lumps might be found by either the patient or
the doctor. This category also includes breast abnormalities detected by
mammogram or ultrasound, many of which are too small to feel. Breast
lumps are usually made of cysts, benign tissue, or cancer. The vast
majority of breast lumps that women (and doctors) find are not cancer.
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The treatment of a breast lump depends on the
circumstances. Many times, no surgery is needed. If it is a
cyst (a fluid-filled sac), it can be drained with a tiny needle. Solid
masses can sometimes be biopsied with a needle, but often it's
worthwhile to remove the whole lump. If the spot was found on mammogram
and it's too small to feel, special biopsy techniques such as
wire-localization or stereotactic imaging will be required. These
biopsies are performed as an outpatient, and usually with IV sedation.
The pathology results of the biopsy are usually available in two days.
If no cancer is present, you're done. If there is cancer, further
surgery is necessary—the options include a modified radical mastectomy
or a lumpectomy and axillary lymph node dissection. With a mastectomy,
the entire breast and lymph nodes in the armpit are removed, giving a
flat chest on that side afterwards. With a lumpectomy, the breast
remains (usually only slightly altered from the surgery), and 4 - 6
weeks of radiation therapy is given once the surgery has healed.
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In terms of curing breast cancer, the success of a
lumpectomy with
radiation therapy is generally equal to the cure rate from a mastectomy.
This is why most women with breast cancer have the option of not losing
the breast just to treat the disease. Chemotherapy may be recommended if
cancer is found in the lymph nodes. The long-term cure rates for breast
cancer have been improving over the last few decades, mainly because the
increased use of mammograms have led to more cancers being found at an
earlier stage.
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| Since breast cancer is not yet preventable, the best
treatment is early detection. Women from the age of 20 - 39 should
perform monthly self-breast exams and be examined by a physician every
three years; women age 40 or older should perform monthly self-exams,
have a yearly mammogram, and a yearly physician exam. Factors that
increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer include a personal or family
history of breast cancer, with the family history being especially
important if it occurs in a mother, sister, or daughter. Information on
the techniques of self-breast examination can be obtained from your
doctor’s office, the American Cancer Society, or your local Health
Resource Center. |
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