Beyond the Pink Ribbon: A Proactive Guide to Your Breast Health

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is why you’ll likely see many people wearing pink ribbons. But taking care of your breasts and ensuring they remain healthy takes more than a ribbon. It takes information and the commitment to implement that information proactively.

Our team of experienced physicians at Women's Health Specialists, PLLC in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, offers preventive care services for our patients, including clinical breast exams and recommendations for mammograms to catch any early signs of cancer or other diseases. In this month’s blog, the team discusses the importance of taking care of your breasts.

Breast anatomy

Each breast contains 6-9 overlapping lobes, within which are many smaller lobules ending in numerous small bulbs that can produce milk. The lobes, lobules, and bulbs are all connected by thin ducts that lead to the nipple. The dark area of skin around the nipple is known as the areola.

The spaces between the lobules and ducts are filled with fat and connective tissue. Women who have “dense” breasts have a lot of connective tissue that can make it more difficult to detect lumps and other growths. The breasts don’t contain any muscle, but there are muscles underneath them that also cover the ribs.

In addition, the breasts contain blood and lymph vessels. The lymph vessels carry a colorless fluid that flushes material out of the body, and they lead to small structures called lymph nodes. You can find the breasts’ lymph nodes under the armpit, above the collarbone, and in the chest. The body also contains lymph nodes in many other locations.

Preventive breast care

Preventive breast care takes a three-pronged approach.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) says it’s important for all women to learn how their breasts normally look and feel. That way, you can more easily notice any changes in the tissue. Doing routine breast self-examinations (BSEs), say, once a month, can make this easier. Changes can include:

• Lumps
• Discharge other than breast milk
• Swelling
• Skin irritation or dimpling
• Nipple problems, such as pain, redness, flaking, or turning inward

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and the ACS don’t recommend BSEs, because they may not lower the risk of dying from breast cancer. But while they may be limited in their efficacy, they can be beneficial for detecting problems early, when they’re more easily treatable.

Clinical breast exams (CBEs) are manual exams your doctor performs at your routine physical, and they can help determine if there are any lumps or other abnormalities in the breast tissue that you haven’t found on self-examination.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends:

• From 29 to 39, women should have a CBE every 1-3 years
• After 40, women should have a CBE every year

However, we should note that both the USPSTF and the ACS believe there aren’t enough data to determine if CBEs are helpful for women 40 and older.

A mammogram is the third prong of preventive breast care. It’s the most common imaging test, and it looks for  signs of breast cancer, tumors, or cysts. It’s quick, noninvasive, and uses only a low dose of radiation.

According to the ACS, early-stage breast cancer has a 5-year survival rate of 99%, while later-stage breast cancer has survival rates as low as 27%. This is why it’s so important to get screened regularly.

What constitutes regular screening differs according to different organizations. The USPSTF recommends women 50-74 should get screened every two years.

The ACS recommends women 45-54 get screened every year, while those 55 and older should change to every two years, though they can still choose to have yearly screenings.

The best thing to do is to speak with your doctor about your individual risk factors, which will help determine how frequently you need to be screened. Women with dense breasts may need to be screened more frequently, as it’s harder to determine from a radiograph if there’s an area of concern.

If you haven’t been screened recently for breast problems, it’s time to come into Women’s Health Specialists, PLLC for an evaluation. Call our office at 615-907-2040, or book your appointment online with us today.