In this issue of the Health Gazette I am going to reproduce a patient handout that was developed by The Florida Task Force on Early Diagnosis of Breast Cancer and produced by The Florida Academy of Family Physicians in conjunction with the Florida Early Diagnosis Steering Committee . I think this handout is very informative. There are several misconceptions that I would like to discuss. For this reason it is very important to have breast self-exam combined with physician exam and mammography to improve the chance of early diagnosis of breast cancer. Seventy percent of breast cancer patients do not have a family history of breast cancer.
Breast cancer is one of the more curable forms of cancer if it is caught early.
If you have a breast lump, it is important to pursue a diagnosis even if the mammogram is normal. Ten to 15 percent of breast cancers do not show up on mammograms. The patient information handout is included in its entirety below. Understanding Breast Lumps and Other Changes Breast changes are a common event. They include those that normally occur during the menstrual cycle and pregnancy, as well as with aging.