Abstract

International comparative studies have demonstrated that the survival rate of breast cancer is considerably lower in Estonia than in the developed European countries. The main reason is that the disease is diagnosed in more advanced stages. The current article reviews the information of the risk factors of breast cancer, the primary clinical symptoms and the possibilities of early detection, the consideration of which could help improve diagnosing of breast cancer in earlier stages. The main methods for earlier detection are self-examination of breasts, clinical examination by medical professionals and mammography screening.