What Is a Breast Self-Exam?
A breast self-exam is a screening technique you can do at home to check for breast lumps. A breast self-exam can help screen for:
- tumors
- cysts
- other abnormalities in the breasts
Self Breast Examinations
While not all breast lumps indicate cancer, they should be investigated, especially if accompanied by other changes in breasts or the under arm area, such as lumps, texture changes, thickening, dimpling, changes in shape or size of nipples or breasts, tenderness, discharge, rash or swelling, or one breast suddenly being slightly larger than the other.
Research has shown that a regular Breast Self-Examination (BSE), plays an important role in discovering breast cancer, compared to finding a breast lump by chance.
A BSE should be done once a month, preferably at the same time of day, following a woman’s menstrual cycle.
Article and video repurposed from CANSA in support of Breast Cancer awareness month