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New ways of detecting breast cancer
Published on Mon, Jul 21, 2008 at 16:33 in 
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CURBING CANCER: Experts say the first step is to consult your doctor for a thorough check-up.
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New Delhi: What do you do if you find a lump in your breast? Though studies say up to 80 per cent of all breast lumps are harmless, you will still want to know you are OK.
Experts say the first step is to consult your doctor for a thorough check-up. Go in for an ultrasound followed by a mammogram.
Today, there are options like diagnostic and digital mammograms which cost around Rs 7,000 for an entire diagnosis.
Once it's established that your lump is not a cyst, the next step is to rule out other non-cancerous lesions. Nowadays, minimally invasive biopsy is the best options available and costs around Rs 1,500.
In case your cancer diagnosis is confirmed, the next step is a breast MRI. The latest modalities are PET scans which can detect lymph node tumors as well.
They can cost anywhere between Rs 18,000 to Rs 20,000. The goal here is to determine the extent of the disease to plan treatment accordingly.
There is no one perfect screening tool. What's new is the recognition that there are a collection of tools that can be used appropriately together to achieve the precise diagnosis and treatment.
The best option is a self-examination every two weeks once you cross the age of 30.
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