Generally, about 1 in 12 women will contract breast cancer at some age and the odds are higher later in life. Courtesy of modern medicine, many breast cancers can be successfully treated with minimum impact. However, one’s treatment success level is extremely dependent on early detection. The earlier breast cancer is detected the higher your chance for survival. One easy way to increase the odds of early discovery is the performance of a regular breast self exam.

The purpose of breast self examination is early detection of changes that might signal a condition that needs further investigation by either a professional clinical exam, mammogram or other diagnostic tool. Any changes could potentially indicate an abnormality. But to be able to determine what is abnormal one must know what is normal. Normal varies from individual to individual even though there are commonalities.

The first step in conducting a proper self-exam is to know what your own breasts feel and look like in general. Each and every part of the body goes through subtle changes on a regular basis. Throughout the menstrual cycle these changes might be exaggerated. Breasts may become enlarged and even more sensitive. If you start your self-exam a few days prior to your period every month it will become a habit. If you are post-menopausal you should choose the same day each month to perform the exam.

Remove your clothing and stand in front of a mirror and make a visual inspection of your breasts. Look for any changes that might be present in only one breast. Normal menstrual cycles and other hormonally related variations typically affect both breasts simultaneously. Look for any changes in breast size or areola (the darker skin around the nipple). Make note of any wrinkling orange-peel like skin that isn’t from cold temperature. Most areola are round. Observe the breasts for any lack of symmetry.

Squeeze the nipples gently noting any fluid that comes out. For some women some lactation is normal. Yellowish, pus-like fluid may need to be further examined by a physician. It could be a simple infection or it could be an early sign of a developing tumor. Make sure you examine both nipples.

Check the breast for tumors by feeling carefully over the entire surface of the breast with your arms lowered. Make sure you include not just the surface from the breast bone to the side, but also up toward the armpit as well. Press your finger pass firmly moving your hand slowly as your feel for any thickening or lumps.

A lump could be nothing more than a simple cyst which is a fluid filled tissue sac. Often cysts are round and palpable. They are typically benign even though you might want to have them removed. Cysts usually fade spontaneously over time.

Cancerous lumps are typically harder and less regular in shape. They are usually attached to an individual’s breast tissue. Not all hard lumps should be immediately deemed cancerous, so don’t be unnecessarily alarmed. Most are simply what are called fibroadenomas- which are merely benign clumps of cells. Professional tests are necessary in order to know for sure.

Be particularly aware of any lumps which change in size. Cancer is a malignant, uncontrolled growth of cells in tissue. As such, cancer tumors don’t remain static but increase in size and, later, may spread to other parts of the body.

Continue your self-exam by raising the arms over your head and applying pressure all the way from the breastbone to the armpit again. Make sure you do this on both sides and breasts.

You want to make sure you perform the procedure again, this time while lying down with the arms lowered and then raised overhead. This is again for the observation of any changes, especially tissues that have become hard. The procedure can be repeated in the shower in effort to reduce friction on the skin, but sometimes it is difficult to find changes or lumps when water is splashing on your skin, you might want to use baby oil instead.

Women age 20 and over should be performing breast self-exams on a regular basis, and women over 40 should get a mammogram annually.

This entry was posted on Friday, May 23rd, 2008 at 3:35 am and is filed under Breast Cancer. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.