According to Dr. Marlene Price, an expert on breast cancer who teaches at SUNY Downstate, Eliza's experience with breast cancer is typical of many women. According to Dr. Richard Wait, chairman of surgery at SUNY Downstate and a breast surgeon at its University Hospital of Brooklyn, the correlation between age and risk for breast cancer may depend, in part, on race. He and his colleague Dr. Mahmoud El Tamer conducted a study of more than 2,000 women treated for breast cancer at University Hospital of Brooklyn or kings County Hospital Center between 1982 and 1995. Other studies have shown that although the incidence of breast cancer is lower among African-Americans, the death rate is higher. Clearly, early detection can make a real difference - for all women.
Early detection techniques The ability to detect breast cancer early has dramatically improved.
Dr. Joshua kalowitz, assistant professor of radiology at SUNY Downstate, says that increased government regulation and improved techniques enable radiologists to detect 85 percent of all breast cancer using mammography. Therefore, women should either have their mammograms performed at the same center or bring their films with them to a new center. Waits and Price point out that most women who require follow-up based on the results of their mammogram do not have cancer. But there are more treatment options when the cancer is very small. Ask your family doctor to show you the right way to do it.