Paula Sungailė

Doctor mammologist states that the risk factors contributing to the development of breast diseases are constantly being studied, and the disease can be caused by many different reasons.

“The risk of developing breast cancer significantly increases with age, and this diagnosis is most often heard by women over 40 years of age. However, cases are also found in younger patients, especially if women have at least one first-degree relative who has been diagnosed with breast cancer—grandmother, mother, or sister. In such cases, the risk of developing the disease themselves increases by 2 to 4 times, and for those with BRCA-1 and BRCA-2 gene mutations, the risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer increases up to 80%.”

Endogenous female hormones (estrogen, estradiol), an early menstrual cycle, late menopause (55 years and older), and ionizing radiation received in the breast area before the age of 30 due to certain diseases can also influence the development of breast cancer. An excess of iron in the blood can also have a carcinogenic and co-carcinogenic effect on the functioning of body cells.

Studies show that the operation of ovarian removal reduces the risk of developing breast cancer by as much as 75%.

According to P. Sungailė, preventive breast examinations allow the detection of breast cancer at an early stage, timely initiation of treatment, and improvement of survival rates.

“Mammography is an X-ray examination, the most important imaging diagnostic method for breast diseases, recommended for older women. During mammography, it is possible to distinguish primary changes: formations, breast parenchyma deformations, asymmetric changes in parenchymal density, calcifications. Then the doctor evaluates the changes, their shape, and location and decides whether the signs are characteristic of benign or malignant diseases,” says the doctor mammologist.