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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    How is breast cancer diagnosed?

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    Dr Bhaumik Shah

    Medical Oncologist (Cancer Specialist)

    Dr Shah believes in family centered care and long consultations to put all anxieties at ease. He has trained in different illustrious institutes to obtain … View Profile

    There are chiefly two ways breast cancers are diagnosed.

    A) Due to screening for breast cancer: Australian government offers free breast cancer screening with mammograms for all women 50 years or more of age. It also offers MRI screening of breast for young age women with high risk of breast cancer due to strong family history or genetic mutations. These tests can diagnose many breast cancers before any symptoms.

    B) Due to symptoms: Some of the symptoms that can indicate possibility of breast cancer are as follows.
    - lump in breast or armpit
    - unusual discharge from nipple
    - change in shape or appearance of breast
    - dimpling or pitting of skin of breast
    - longstanding pain in breast

    It is worth noting that all these symptoms can happen due to alternative causes as well. But they can be early features of a breast cancer. So it would be worth getting an examination by your GP.

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