Current opinion for breast cancer screening.

Lee, Chae Hyeong; Roh, Ju Won

Review

Korean Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 2008;51(9):933-942.
Published online September 1, 2008.

Current opinion for breast cancer screening.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dongguk University International Hospital, College of Medicine, Dongguk University, Gyeonggi, Korea. rohjuwon@duih.org

Abstract

Breast cancer has become one of the most significant health concerns not only in western countries but also in Korea. Screening is the most important method to reduce the mortality related to breast cancer. However, controversy remains about some aspects of breast cancer screening. Breast self-examination has been shown not to improve cancer-specific mortality, but it is commonly advocated as a noninvasive screen. Although the contribution of the clinical breast examination to early detection is difficult to determine, up to 10 percent of mammographically silent cancers can be detected by clinical breast examination. Major health organizations endorse mammographic screening every one to two years for women 40 years, and every year after age 50 as long as the woman is healthy. Although breast magnetic resonance imaging shows promise as a screening tool in high-risk women 30 years and older, it is not currently recommended for general screening because of high false-positive rates and costs. When applying guidelines to individual patients, risk assessment and clinical judgment including physical examination is needed to ensure appropriate management.

Key Words: Breast cancer, Screening, Mammography, Magnetic resonance imaging