Breast Cancer - Moose and Doc

A breast cancer explanations website

 

By Dr. Halls

Breast Self Examination or BSE

Breast self-examination is a bit of a controversial topic within the medical community. It is unclear whether self-examination actually results in a reduction in mortality rates.

Indeed, reducing mortality rates from breast cancer is the overriding objective of all screening programs.  Of course, there is no physical harm in breast self examination.

Also, yes, it is possible that women may detect some breast cancers that routine screening mammography may miss. 

However,  in many cases, self-examination leads to a great increase in psychological stress on the individual and places unnecessary strain on medical resources. 

breast self examination

Cancer Detection

About 8 out of every 10 lesions discovered by any individual turn out to be benign.

Furthermore, there is no hard evidence really on which to conclude that examining your breasts yourself results in a breast cancer mortality rate reduction.

Furthermore, women in there 40’s should be undertaking a proper medical mammogram screening every year to 18 months anyway.

The mammograms should detect any lesions and inform as to any further diagnostic followups, and treatments if necessary.

In fact, women detect most cancers themselves by discovering a lump. 

However, the survival rate would be higher with regular, proper screening. 

This is because, by the time that breast cancer is big enough to be felt as a lump, it probably is at a more advanced stage.

So, mammography can detect VERY early, treatable breast cancers before any clinical symptoms, such as a lump, are present.

What is a breast Self Exam?

Basically, to perform a breast self-exam a woman stands in front of a mirror naked from the waist down.   Look for any signs of swelling, soreness, or dimpling in all parts of the breast.

Next, place your hands resting on the hips and then, repeat with your arms raised above the head.

Secondly,  feel the breasts with your fingers, pressing lightly at first to find surface abnormalities, and then pressing more heavily to check for lumps within the deeper tissue.

In addition, you should check the ‘axillary tail’ of each breast that leads toward the armpits. Next, you should again feel the breasts whilst lying down. The nipples should also be gently squeezed to check for any discharge.

It is of interest to note that this technique is generally not something that physicians instruct their patients to do. 

However,  ‘clinicians‘ tend to teach how to check your breasts yourself.

So, statistics tend to show both positive and negative results from breast self examination.   But one thing is clear and that is that breast self examination is certainly no substitute for regular breast cancer screening.

Indeed, breast cancer screening should begin at an appropriate age,  about 40, or earlier if a woman is in a known higher risk group.

Visit this page for more information on the presenting complaints when women first inquire about possible breast cancer.
 

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About Steven Halls

Dr Halls has 25 years experience as a radiologist. He worked for 13 years at Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton, a world-class cancer treatment facility. He has had high-volume experience with cancer, interventional procedures, clinical trials and his own phase 1 and 2 research in MRI and breast cancer staging.