Resumo

LARA TAMBURRINO, María Del Carmen  e  OLMEDO ZORRILLA, Álvaro. Early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. Rev. Fac. Med. (Méx.) [online]. 2011, vol.54, n.1, pp.04-17. ISSN 2448-4865.

The global increase in the frequency of breast cancer has been more worrisome in developing countries, in which economies like ours where infrastructural, cultural, and communication deficiencies fail to spread information about the severity of this problem and the mechanisms for its early detection and appropriate treatment. The mortality rate figures due to breast cancer in Mexico, in the last 5 years, have been higher than those of cervix cancer, which used to be the first cause of cancer death in women. The implementation of screening national programs with annual mammographies performed on all female population aged forty years or older, has accomplished, in developed countries, an important reduction in breast cancer mortality rate, and has proved to be the first choice to achieve such a decrease. In our national reality, the detection of breast cancer is mostly performed when breast lumps are large enough to be palpated. That is why breast self-examination is the main resource within our reach until generalized screening mammography campaigns that may detect the disease in early, healing stages, and thus lower the high mortality rates of this terrible disease.

Palavras-chave : breast cancer; detection; screening; mammography.