Dr Öncel Yakar’s comments

Early diagnosis with screening mammography increases the treatment options and response rates of the patients. It has been shown that breast cancer-related deaths are reduced by 25% (1 out of 4 patients) with routine screening mammography over the age of 50. In spite of this benefit, it is predicted that approximately 10% of patients (1 out of 10) are over-diagnosed with screening.

For this reason, in some countries where the rate of breast cancer is lower and the majority of breast cancer patients are over 50 years of age, the starting age for screening mammography is delayed and screening is recommended in every two years. However, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) data, both the incidence of breast cancer is increasing in our country as well as other developing countries, and the average age of disease is decreasing, that is to say the disease is detected in younger women. Therefore, annual clinical examination and screening mammography are recommended from the age of 40 in our country

Breast health plays an important role in every woman’s life. This is based on the facts that breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and that early diagnosis and treatment significantly increase life expectancy thanks to screening methods. While stricter follow-up and examination protocols are applied for women with certain risk factors, women with no risk factors should also have breast screenings regularly. Standard breast screening guidelines recommend that women should perform breast self-examination from the age of 20, and additionally, from the age of 40, breast imaging with clinical examination and mammography once a year. In this section, especially in the twenty-fifth year of her profession and as a female surgeon, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Didem Öncel Yakar answers questions frequently asked by you. We are with you to manage your routine annual screenings and appropriate examination-surgery-treatment processes at our private practice located in Ataşehir-Istanbul.