Answer:

Breast cancer is prevalent and a leading cause of death for women. According to the Global Cancer Organization (Globocan), breast cancer accounts for nearly 29% of all cancer cases in Vietnamese women, meaning one in three women diagnosed with cancer is affected by it.

Several factors increase the risk of breast cancer, including older age, genetics, gene mutations, dense breast tissue, heavy alcohol consumption, overweight or obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and giving birth to a first child after 35. Therefore, regardless of marital status, women under 30 with high-risk factors should undergo breast ultrasound screening as advised by a doctor.

Women aged 30 and older, like yourself, should have an annual breast ultrasound. This non-invasive and painless procedure uses high-frequency sound waves that pass through the breast. The echoes from the tissues create images of the internal breast structures.

Doctor Vinh consults a patient. Illustration photo: Tam Anh General Clinic

For individuals with high-risk factors, such as BRCA gene mutations, multiple family members with the disease, or suspected cancer, a doctor may recommend an MRI scan. If a mother had breast cancer, her daughter should begin breast cancer screening 10 years earlier than the age her mother was diagnosed. A breast MRI provides clearer images of the breast's interior, detecting cancers that a mammogram might miss.

Women aged 40 and older should have regular check-ups for annual breast cancer screening via mammography. This non-invasive method uses X-rays focused on breast tissue to detect signs that ultrasound might not, such as microcalcifications (tiny calcium deposits in the breast).

Maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and adopting a healthy diet and lifestyle can improve overall health and reduce breast cancer risk. If you experience any unusual nipple changes, discharge, dimpled or orange-peel-like skin on the breast, swollen lymph nodes in the armpit, or nipple retraction, you should consult an oncologist to determine the cause and receive timely treatment.

Doctor Le Ngoc Vinh, First-degree specialist

Surgical Oncology Unit

Tam Anh General Clinic, District 7