October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Designated as the official “Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” October is the month of annual breast cancer screenings and provisional information distribution. Though scientists are getting closer to finding a cure for this disease, researchers aren’t there yet. As a result, rectifying October as “National Breast Cancer Awareness Month” is intended to provide individuals with the resources and information that they need to detect breast cancer, including forms of blood tests for breast cancer, mammograms, and routine self breast exams.
Importance of Early Breast Cancer Detection
One of the most fundamental steps that is necessary for limiting the effect that breast cancer has on one’s body includes participation in routine cancer detecting efforts, such as blood testing, lab tests, and detection of ca-125. In essence, knowing one’s risk is an essential step in prevention and early treatment, and this knowledge is facilitated by blood tests for breast cancer. Obtaining a blood test increases one’s chance of detecting early breast cancer. When cancer is detected early, individuals have a survival rate of 98% (http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/why-you-need-an-edp). Yet, 30% of individuals who are diagnosed with breast cancer don’t detect their condition until it has spread beyond the localized stage (http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/why-you-need-an-edp).
Methods of Breast Cancer Detection
One of the most simple forms of breast cancer detection is self breast exams. Notifying providers of any abnormalities can indicate probable cause for other lab test options. In addition, a ca-125 test is used to measure the amount of cancer antigen 125 in the blood. Though many different health conditions can cause varying results on the ca-125 test, it can also be useful in the detection of ovarian cancer. Alongside breast cancer and ovarian cancer, the ca-125 test can also detect endometrial and fallopian tube cancer, as well. In fact, this blood test is one of the most effective blood test for breast cancer options.
Blood Test Outlook
Though the ca-125 test is an innovative lab test that can detect one specific cancer antigen, the future for other blood testing options for breast cancer procedures appears promising. As of right now, no one blood test or lab test can detect the presence of breast or ovarian cancer. However, someday a lab test for cancer detection pertaining to early signs of breast or ovarian cancer is possible. A simple blood test for breast cancer and/or ovarian cancer may make early cancer detection more efficient and effective.