Breast cancer screening

Breast cancer happens when cells that are not normal grow in one or both of your breasts. Screening tests can help find breast cancer early. They can find some cancers that are too small to feel or before they cause other symptoms. Breast cancer may be easier to treat when it's found early.

Having concerns about breast cancer is common. That's why it's important to talk with your doctor about when to start and how often to get screened for breast cancer.

Screening tests can find breast cancer early, before you have symptoms like a lump. When breast cancer is found early, it may be easier to treat. And finding it early helps reduce the risk of dying from breast cancer.

Screening tests for breast cancer include:

Mammogram.

This test uses X-rays. During a mammogram, a machine squeezes your breasts to make them flatter and easier to X-ray. With a screening digital mammogram (DM), one picture is taken from the top and one is taken from the side. With a 3D mammogram, X-rays are taken from many angles to make a 3D image of the breast. A 3D mammogram is also called digital breast tomosynthesis, or DBT.

Clinical breast exam (CBE).

In this exam, your doctor carefully feels your breasts and under your arms to check for lumps or other changes. Your doctor may do a CBE if you have a high risk of breast cancer.

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) of the breast.

A standard MRI may be used as a screening test if you have a high risk of breast cancer. Your breast cancer screening center may offer you an abbreviated breast MRI (sometimes called a "fast MRI").