The earlier breast cancer is detected, the better it may be for the patient’s long-term health. Get a brief overview of the tests that can help detect breast cancer.

Do you do regular breast self-examinations? While some cancers are too tiny to feel, and most lumps aren’t cancer, self-examinations are a proactive way to help take care of yourself. Learn how.

A clinical breast examination is a breast examination performed by a health care professional. It’s often part of a woman’s check-up. Find out what to expect from breast screening.

A mammogram is a special type of X-ray taken to look for abnormal growths or changes in breast tissue. It’s a key tool in breast cancer detection, though no test is perfect. Learn more here.

Doctors sometimes use ultrasound images to check whether a breast lump is a cyst (a fluid-filled sac that is not cancer) or a solid mass. Read more here.

When doctors perform a biopsy, they remove cells from a suspicious lump to see if it’s cancer. This article provides an overview of breast biopsies.

In a sentinel node biopsy, doctors check lymph nodes under the arm to see if cancer has spread into the lymphatic system. Learn what’s involved in a sentinel node biopsy.