Overview
Healthcare providers may do physical examinations or order mammograms to check for signs of breast cancer. But they do the following tests to diagnose the disease:
- Breast ultrasound.
- Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.
- Breast biopsy.
- Immunohistochemistry test to check for hormone receptors.
- Genetic tests to identify mutations that cause breast cancer.
Stages of breast cancer
Healthcare providers use cancer staging systems to plan treatment. Staging cancer also helps providers set a prognosis, or what you can expect after treatment. Breast cancer staging depends on factors like breast cancer type, tumor size and location, and whether cancer has spread to other areas of your body. Breast cancer stages are:
- Stage 0: The disease is noninvasive, meaning it hasn’t spread from your breast ducts to other parts of your breast.
- Stage I: There are cancerous cells in nearby breast tissue.
- Stage II: The cancerous cells have formed a tumor or tumors. The tumor is either smaller than 2 centimeters across and has spread to underarm lymph nodes or larger than 5 centimeters across but hasn’t spread to underarm lymph nodes. Tumors at this stage can measure anywhere between 2 and 5 centimeters across, and may or may not affect the nearby lymph nodes.
- Stage III: There’s breast cancer in nearby tissue and lymph nodes. Stage III is usually referred to as locally advanced breast cancer.
- Stage IV: Cancer has spread from your breast to areas like your bones, liver, lungs or brain.
Products & Services
A Book: Future Care
Symptoms
When to see a doctor
Complications
Blood clots are a dangerous complication of atrial fibrillation (AFib). Blood clots can lead to stroke.
The risk of stroke from AFib increases as you grow older. Other health conditions also may increase the risk of a stroke due to AFib. These conditions include:
- High blood pressure.
- Diabetes.
- Heart failure.
- Some types of heart valve disease.
Blood thinners are commonly prescribed to prevent blood clots and strokes in people with atrial fibrillation.
Prevention
Healthy lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of heart disease and may prevent atrial fibrillation (AFib). Here are some basic heart-healthy tips:
- Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
- Don't smoke or use tobacco.
- Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat.
- Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week unless your health care team says not to.
- Get good sleep. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours daily.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Reduce and manage stress.
Print
Living with atrial fibrillation?
Connect with others like you for support and answers to your questions in the Heart Rhythm Conditions support group on Freedmans Health Clinic Connect, a patient community.
Heart Rhythm Conditions Discussions
See more discussions
Comments are closed for this post.
Related
Advertisement
Clinic Press
Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Care at Freedmans Health.