In fact, the American Academy of Family Physicians indicates as many as 90 percent of breast lumps are benign. Have any lumps or changes evaluated by your doctor. After you find a lump in your breast, here's what happens during a typical physician evaluation:
- You give a full health history, including the mention of an immediate family member with breast cancer (mother, sister, daughter)
- You have a full breast exam, with the doctor palpating your breasts for any lumps or abnormalities
- You schedule a mammogram, ultrasound, or breast MRI (one or more of these may be done)
If the physician workup reveals any suspicious lumps you may be scheduled for one of the following procedures:
- A needle to remove cells from the lump to test for cancer
- A core biopsy to remove part of the lump for evaluation
- A lumpectomy to have the lump surgically removed and tested If your lump is breast cancer, the earlier you can begin treatment, the better your survival rate
Treatment options for breast cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and radiation. The five-year survival rate for localized breast cancer is 98 percent. Unfortunately, advanced metastatic cancer has a higher mortality rate. If the cancer has spread regionally this survival rate drops to 81 percent and those with distant metastases have a 26 percent five-year survival rate. After the five-year mark, the overall survival rate drops to 80 percent.
