According to the Breast Cancer Society, Breast Cancer is the number 1 cancer in Singapore. Breast Cancer often starts in the ducts, while some may start in the milk sacs or lobes. Breast Cancer can often go undetected in the early stages as there is usually no pain or visible symptoms. This is why it’s important to go for Breast Cancer screenings for the recommended ages:
- Once a year: For women over 40.
- Once every 2 years: For women over 50.
- Or if you discover any unusual symptoms around the breast area such as rash or discharge.
So what happens during a Breast Cancer screening?
Doctors might advise doing either a mammogram or ultrasound, or both during your breast cancer screening.
Mammograms are done by radiologists who use special medical equipment to get x-ray scans of the breast tissue.
As for ultrasound, it is done by radiologists, where they use the same equipment used to conduct checks on pregnant mothers. The device uses high-frequency sound waves that create images of what’s inside the body.
Dr Tang explains more about the process and differences between both types of screening methods in his video below, as well as how a mammogram cannot be substituted by an ultrasound.
