Mammograms of breast cancer surgery. Coloured mammogram (breast X-ray) of wire-guided local excision of breast cancer in a 66-year-old woman. This is a sentinel node treatment, targeting the lymph node network adjacent to the cancer site. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. Early diagnosis can be made by mammography or self-examination. The cancer can be effectively treated by surgery followed by a course of radiotherapy or anti-cancer drugs to destroy any remaining cancerous cells.