8-23-05

Breast Cancer

Detecting smaller tumors earlier increases the chances of surviving breast cancer, the second leading cancer in women.

The odds of surviving breast cancer have improved during the past 25 years, according to a large study conducted in New York. Breast cancers are now being diagnosed much earlier because of annual screenings says Dr. Elizabeth Peralta, assistant professor of surgery at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield.

SOUND BITE: "The percentage of women who were diagnosed with the smallest tumor, this one that is less than a centimeter, has increased from 10 percent to 25 percent of cases. And these are highly curable tumors – about a 97 percent cure rate and then even in what we call stage 1 or T-1 tumor, less than 2 centimeter -- that has increased from about one-fifth of patients to one-third."

Dr. Peralta says mammography screening is the most effective method of early detection and an annual mammogram is recommended for women over age 40. Risk factors for breast cancer are being over age 50, having a mother or sister who had breast cancer, and having a previous biopsy that showed abnormal tissue. She says there have been some improvements in treatments for breast cancer.

SOUND BITE: "The biggest changes in treatments have been decreasing the amount of surgery needed. So we’ve gone to lumpectomy instead of mastectomy. And to what we call centinal lymph node biopsy instead of taking as many lymph nodes as we can from the axilla which is called an axillary dissection."

Dr. Peralta says the cure rate for breast cancer is now 80 percent. She encourages all women age 40 and over to talk to their physician about scheduling an annual mammogram. Insurance companies and Medicare are required to cover mammography screening for breast cancer.