English
“Breast self-exams are no longer recommended.”
When I read this title a few months ago I thought it was a typo. Since I discovered a cancerous mass in my breast that turned out to be stage three cancer, I was surprised to learn that many medical organizations such as the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute no longer recommend breast self-exams. And they haven’t been recommended for years.
What happened?
Breast self-exams were introduced in the 1950s as a convenient and inexpensive way to detect breast cancer early when it can be further treated. However, shortly after 2000, research found that performing formal breast self-exams (raising arms, lying down, making circular movements, etc.) did not reduce the risk of dying from breast cancer. In a meta-analysis that compared women who performed routine breast self-exams with women who found no difference in their breast cancer survival rates. But people who had their breasts examined had more false positives and nearly twice as many cancer-free breast biopsies.
Read: What you should know about breast biopsies >>
Without data showing that breast self-exams can reduce the risk of dying from breast cancer and the possibility of injury from unnecessary testing, breast self-exams are no longer recommended for people at average risk (average), according to most professional organizations and health care providers Risk means you have no personal or family history or genetic mutations such as BRCA1 or BRCA2.
Larry Norton, MD, medical breast oncologist at Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, said the change in guidelines to no longer recommend breast self-exams doesn’t mean you should stop paying attention to your breasts. This is called breast self-confidence.
What is Breast Confidence?
Breast self-awareness lets you know how your breasts look and feel so you can identify any changes. “Lack of self-awareness about what is healthy in your body could prevent you from recognizing something that isn’t quite right,” Norton said. “It’s really nice to have that knowledge and find something else in your body, whatever it is, to pay attention to.”
Unlike breast self-exams, there is no schedule or technique for breast self-awareness. You essentially use your eyes and hands to figure out what is normal for you. Signs of breast cancer to look out for include:
- The masses
- pain
- Fositas sacras in the Piel
- Discharge or bleeding from the nipple
- redness or heat
- Swelling or size changes
Norton said changes in appearance and discharge from the nipples are more obvious, but it’s important to know how your breast feels because you may notice signs of breast cancer that your doctor or imaging tests may miss. “If you touch your chest and feel an unusual hard spot or an unusual spot that hurts that didn’t hurt before, those are things that are a little more subtle,” Norton said.
Schedule and risks of breast self-examination
Although most healthcare providers recommend self-awareness over self-exams, some people may want to follow the standard technique and routine. When examining your breasts, it is best to do so three to five days after your period has ended, when your breasts are less tender or swollen. If you are postmenopausal, do the self-examination on the same day every month.
Read: How to examine your breasts yourself >>
Risks associated with formal breast self-exams include false positive results and unnecessary biopsies of noncancerous tissue. Researchers say the mental and financial burden of imaging and biopsies also partly explains the arguments against formal breast self-exams. However, it is important to note that false positives are common and the likelihood of them occurring increases with age. Concerns about false positive results should not stop you from paying attention to your breast health and from contacting your doctor if you notice or feel anything unusual about yourself.
Norton said the most important lesson from self-exams is to be familiar with your own breasts to notice any changes. But neither breast self-examination nor self-exams are a replacement for mammography when it comes to breast cancer screening.
Read: A mammogram saved my life >>
When should you have a mammogram?
Currently, mammograms are the gold standard for breast cancer screening. According to the latest guidelines from the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), people at average risk should start getting mammograms at age 40, rather than age 50 as previously recommended. The change reflects recent data showing that one in six new breast cancers occurs in people aged 40 to 49 and is in line with other organizations that offer screening guidelines.
Recommendations on how often to get tested vary by organization. Some say every year, others every year or two. You should talk to your doctor about what steps make sense for your situation.
Regardless of the guidelines, Norton said if you feel or see anything suspicious, you should contact your doctor immediately. “I want to say that you have been trusted with your body and you should do everything you can to respect that trust. One of these things is examinations and another is knowing your body. So if something is abnormal, don’t ignore it.”
This educational resource was created with support from Daiichi Sankyo and Merck.
From your website articles
Related articles on the Internet
