Breast health is a critical element of OB/GYN care. Whether leaning on the latest ultrasound technology to screen for breast cancer or educating patients on interactions such as those between IVF and breast cancer, OB/GYNs help set a foundation for promoting good breast health for all patients.
- What should OB/GYNs know about diagnosing reproductive and breast cancer in transgender patients? Trans patients make up a part of many gynecologists' practice. Gynecology patients may be cisgender (identify as their gender assigned at birth), transmasculine (assigned female at birth but now identify as male), nonbinary (people who identify as neither male nor female), transfeminine patients (assigned male at birth but now identify as female), or fall somewhere else along the range of gender identities. Learn whether these patients are at increased risk for certain cancers and how that might inform your approach to routine screenings.
- What is the role of OB/GYNs in promoting good breast health? OB/GYNs help screen patients for reproductive cancers, including cervical, endometrial and breast cancer. Learn when you should assess risk, discuss breast health, perform a breast exam and educate your patients about self-screening recommendations based on their personal risk factors.
- What do patients need to know about the risk of breast cancer when weighing fertility options? Many patients worry about whether assisted reproductive technology will increase their breast cancer risk, as some studies have suggested there may be a link. However, multiple reputable studies have refuted this idea. Learn how to tackle the challenging discussion of IVF and breast cancer risks with your patients.
- Does assisted reproductive technology increase the risk of reproductive cancers? Patients often ask whether using assisted reproductive technology to help conceive a child could result in a higher risk of certain gynecological cancers and other conditions. Although sex hormones have been linked to the development of various reproductive cancers — as well as other cancers such as colorectal or thyroid — the answer isn't a definitive yes.
- What is the proper way to use 3D breast ultrasound to image dense breast tissue? For patients with dense breast tissue, mammography may not detect small and early breast cancer — the kind that's most easily cured. Learn about the benefits of 3D breast ultrasound for breast cancer screening for patients with dense breast tissue, who are at higher risk of developing breast cancer.
- Does combining mammography and 3D breast ultrasound improve breast cancer screening? Combining 3D breast ultrasound with mammography may improve the detection of breast cancer in patients, according to several recent studies assessing this method of screening. This is particularly true for patients with dense breast tissue.
Nurturing breast health highlights the many facets there are to caring for your patients and keeping them healthy. An understanding of how to address the specific needs of patient populations and utilize innovative techniques allows OB/GYNs to target holistic care for patients' breast health.
