How to achieve early detection of breast cancer?

       At present, most of the breast cancer patients diagnosed clinically are diagnosed in the hospital when they unintentionally feel the breast lump.  According to clinical statistics, most of the breast cancer cases (more than 70%) diagnosed after feeling the lump have reached the intermediate and advanced stages. Even if all the effective treatments are used, the long-term survival rate (more than 10 years) of patients is less than 50%.  In contrast, almost 100% of patients with early-stage breast cancer can undergo radical breast-conserving surgery, which completely removes the cancerous lesion while preserving the intact breast on the affected side. A significant proportion of patients can also be spared the painful radiotherapy, with long-term survival rates exceeding 90% and a significant number of patients can be cured for life.  It can be said that under the contemporary medical condition, whether the diagnosis is early or late is the key marker to achieve a complete clinical cure for breast cancer.  How can early detection be achieved?  In other words, healthy women at the age of onset of breast cancer should undergo regular breast examinations, usually once a year, to ensure that most breast cancers are detected at an early stage.  There is a consensus in the domestic and international medical community on the method of regular breast examinations.  For women under 35 years of age, a breast examination should be performed every 1-2 years with breast palpation and ultrasound; for women over 35 years of age, a breast examination should be performed once a year with breast palpation + ultrasound + mammography (mammography).  According to clinical observation and research, women with the following conditions should increase the frequency of regular examinations  Have a family history of breast cancer; Carry more risk factors for breast cancer; Have larger breasts with abundant and dense breast glands; Have had breast fibroadenoma or uterine fibroid; Have breast enlargement that has not healed for many years.  For women with the above conditions, it is best to have a breast specialist consultation and examination every six months and decide whether other examinations, such as breast MRI, breast biopsy, etc., are needed based on the doctor’s opinion.  It is best to go to a regular hospital with good breast specialist conditions for regular checkups to avoid missed diagnoses and misdiagnosis, and it is best to ask a breast specialist to take a look at the results of breast exams done in general hospitals or medical checkups.