Our GP is ready to help you if you want to be sure that you are healthy and in good shape, you have medical questions or problems and want to discuss with an experienced doctor, you have some unknown symptoms and want to know what they could be related to, you want to know another medical opinion about the best way of treatment of your disease.
A breast self-exam (BSE) is a simple
procedure to help a woman detect breast lumps. Many breast cancer tumors are
first discovered by women themselves, often be chance. Women who conduct regular
breast self-exams may find tumors early, when they are small, easily treated,
and have not spread. Breast cancer can arise at any
age, though it is most common in women older than 40.
Medical experts disagree about the need for regular breast self-exams.
But some doctors
recommend regular BSE. However, the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (CTFPHC)
and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) found no evidence that BSE saves lives,
and they do not recommend routine breast self-exams.
Breast self-exams should not replace regular
clinical breast exams by a health professional and mammograms (if you are having regular mammograms)
. For more information,
see the medical test Mammography.
A breast self-exam involves checking
your breasts for lumps while standing and lying in different positions and
while looking at your breasts in a mirror to notice any changes in their appearance.
Once you know what your breasts normally look and feel like, any new lump
or change in appearance should be checked by a health professional. Most breast
changes are not due to cancer.
Breast implants do not decrease a
woman's risk for breast cancer, so women with breast implants should also
perform breast self-exams every month.
Although breast cancer in men is rare, it can occur. Occasional
breast self-exams by men may help detect breast cancer at an early,
curable stage.
Breast Self-Exam Results
Normal:
It is important to
know what your breasts look and feel like
so you can notice any changes as soon as possible. One breast is usually
slightly larger than the other. You may find a crescent of firm tissue in
the lower curve of the breast below the nipple. This is normal. You may also
notice that your breasts change throughout your menstrual cycle, and you may
notice increased swelling and tenderness before your period starts.
You may
be able to express
a clear or milky discharge from your nipple. This may be due to nursing, breast
stimulation, hormones, or some other normal cause.
Abnormal:
Abnormal changes are those that are unusual for
you. The color
or feel of your breast or nipple may change. This can include wrinkling, dimpling,
or puckering or an area that feels grainy, stringy, or thickened.
A nipple may begin to sink into the breast.
A red, scaly rash
or sore is found on the nipple. A discharge (especially if it is bloody) spontaneously
drains from the nipple.
A new lump can be felt in breast tissue. Most lumps are pea-sized.
If you find a lump, don't panic; 8 out of 10 lumps are not cancerous. A lump
is most often a small fluid-filled sac (cyst) or a fibroadenoma, neither of
which is cancer.
If you find a lump or other unusual change, inform your health professional immediately. Be prepared to describe
whether the lump is hard or soft and whether it moves easily under the skin.
Your doctor may recommend that you watch for changes and reexamine the breast
in several weeks. Further testing, such as a mammogram, a
breast biopsy, or an attempt to remove fluid from (aspirate)
inside the lump, may also be done. The lump is a cyst if the fluid inside
is not bloody and if the lump disappears after aspiration. (See Mammogram
and Breast Biopsy tests.)
Medical online consultation with qualified doctors
Copyright © 2004-2005