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Treat Yourself Right, Get Screened By Dr. Verna Mai, Director, Screening Programs, Division of Preventive Oncology, Cancer Care Ontario Regular breast screening could save your life. More than 95 per cent of women are alive and well five years after breast cancer is detected and treated early. Regular breast screening can find cancers early when they are small and less likely to have spread. For many women, finding cancer early may allow for more treatment options, such as breast conserving surgery or less aggressive treatment. Mammograms Work! Evidence shows mammograms are the best screening tool available for finding early stage breast cancer. Technological advances have, and will continue to change the way we image breasts, however, despite these advances, mammography is still the gold standard for most women. Here are some key points about other screening tools. Like regular film-screen mammography, digital mammography uses X-rays to find small cancers. The breast is compressed for the same length of time however the images are displayed on a computer screen rather than on film. Digital mammography can be helpful for women with dense breasts. The way for a woman to know if she has dense breasts is through mammography - it cannot be felt. Breast MRI along with screening mammography has been shown to be a very effective screening tool for very high risk women, such as women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene. Studies have not shown thermography to be an effective way to find breast cancer early. Thermography does not replace mammograms and it is not licensed for breast screening in Canada. A clinical breast exam is still an important part of a woman’s regular health visit with her physician. Some Ontario Breast Screening sites offer clinical breast exams by trained nurse examiners. It is important for you to know how your breasts normally look and feel so you are aware of any unusual changes and can report them to your doctor or nurse. However, following a specific, regimented breast self-exam method has not been found to be necessary. The Ontario Breast Screening Program will continue to evolve over time as new evidence and technology emerges on the best way to detect early signs of breast cancer. However, for most women aged 50 and over, mammography is still the best screening tool. Studies show that regular mammograms for women aged 50-69 can reduce deaths from breast cancer by up to a third. All Ontario Breast Screening Program sites are accredited and meet the standards of the Canadian Association of Radiologists-Mammography Accreditation Program. For more information, or to make an appointment for breast screening, please call the Ontario Breast Screening Program at 1-800-668-9304 or visit www.cancer.on.ca. 1