A Breast-Self Exam is an at-home screening technique conducted using the hands and eyes that is practiced with the purpose of detecting breast lumps and other appearance/texture related breast abnormalities. A monthly breast-self examination is a lifesaving practice recommended for women to add to their healthcare routine. The American Cancer Society recommends all women aged 20 and older to begin practicing monthly breast-self examinations to ensure that they become familiarized with how their breasts normally look and feel.
What If I Find Something During My Breast Self-Exam?
Any changes to the look or feel of a woman’s breast tissue that are discovered during her monthly breast-self exam must be discussed with her physician. It is important to note that if you do discover changes to your breast tissue, it is not a cause for panic. There are many benign breast conditions that can cause changes in breast tissue. It is also crucial to note that a breast-self exam is not a substitute for routine mammography screenings due to the fact that 3D mammography is the only tool that can detect breast cancer at its earliest, most curable stage-before a lump can be felt. In addition, Breast-Self examinations should never replace a yearly clinical breast exam performed by a healthcare provider. Women should practice a monthly breast-self examination as a screening tool that is supplemental to clinical screening exams.
Why Should I Do Monthly Breast Self-Exams?
The following are the top 3 evidence based reasons that all women should add breast- self examination to their monthly healthcare routine, if they have not done so already.
Reason # 1: Research has indicated that 40% of breast cancers are detected after a woman discovers a new lump during a self breast exam.
Reason #2: The size of nodules found during a self breast exam are 50% smaller than those found during a yearly clinical breast exam.
Reason # 3: Being familiar with the normal appearance and texture of her breast tissue allows a woman to be prompt to notice any changes that may occur between monthly exams.
At Little Silver Mammography and HerSpace, we pursue the clinical objective of detecting and diagnosing breast cancer at its earliest, most curable stage. Learn more about us and schedule an appointment to get the answers you need as soon as possible.
