Most women have heard of mastectomy, which is commonly performed to treat or reduce risk for breast cancer. In the age of improved cancer treatment, improved screening tools, and emphasis on long-term survival and benefits, it is important to question exactly when and for who a double mastectomy is beneficial.

Digital tomosynthesis, or 3D mammography, has emerged as an effective breast imaging tool. 3D mammography combines conventional 2-dimensional mammogram images with additional 3-dimensional views. This enables enhanced views of breast tissue and research suggests 3D mammography offers several benefits over conventional 2D mammography.

Lumpectomy refers to the surgical removal of a lump or mass from the breast. During a typical lumpectomy procedure, your surgeon will remove a lump, be it cancerous or benign, from the breast along with some nearby healthy tissue to make sure nothing was left behind.

The procedure can be performed in both men and women. Lumpectomy may be part of the treatment plan for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and invasive ductal carcinoma, two common types of breast cancer.

Most breast cancer treatments require some combination of chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. Mastectomy refers to the surgical removal of the breast, but not necessarily the whole breast.

In the past, radical mastectomy was the most common treatment for breast cancer. The entire breast was removed during this procedure. Advancements in surgical techniques, and in our knowledge of breast cancer, now allow us to preserve healthy tissue in many patients.

Early detection of breast cancer offers women the best possible chance for optimal treatment. As with many cancers, breast cancer is more easily managed and treated when it is still small. To ensure early detection of breast cancer, women should educate themselves about appropriate screening and breast health care.

Identifying the early signs of breast cancer can significantly increase your chances of recovery and cure from this disease. Though many breast cancers are detectable only through a mammogram or other imaging studies, a significant number of early diagnoses have come as the result of patients recognizing one or more common breast cancer signs.

Many people — in fact, most people, — have thyroid nodules. Most nodules are benign or non-cancerous. Figuring out which nodules are cancerous can be challenging. Fortunately, there are molecular tests available that can help to sort out these challenges.

Years ago, my colleagues and I worked on research in this field and identified a molecular profile that can predict which thyroid nodules have malignant, or cancerous, potential. Now, commercial labs even make use of molecular profiling to help guide patients and physicians when deciding on surgery.