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October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month but being aware of the impact and health risks of breast cancer requires more than just wearing a pink ribbon. The best way to practice breast cancer awareness is to understand what’s happening in your own body.
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One in eight people will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime and for Black women, the risk is even higher. Black women are 40 percent more likely to die from breast cancer with one in five Black women diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive form of the disease that is more difficult to treat the longer it goes undiagnosed.
Early detection is the best defense against getting a late-stage diagnosis, the earlier breast cancer is found, the higher the likelihood of survival and recovery. In fact, cancers that are found at the localized stage – or before it spreads to cells beyond the breast – are the easiest to treat with a 99 percent five-year survival rate.
How to Perform a Self-Breast Exam
So how can you find breast cancer early? Regular wellness exams like that performed by an OB-GYN or primary care physician will typically include a breast examination. Doctors also recommend getting a mammogram every two years after the age of 40 (more frequent and earlier mammograms are recommended if personal or family history places you at high risk for developing breast cancer).
You can also practice preventative care by getting to know your breast and your body and regularly observing any unusual changes by doing a self breast examination.
What is a self breast exam?
A self exam is a way for people to check their own breast tissue for any unusual signs or changes. A self-check involves both visually observing the breasts and also feeling the breast skin and tissue with the hands and fingers to check for lumps or changes in texture. Self breast examinations play an important part in early detection of breast cancer and they’re also a good way to become more comfortable and familiar with your own body.
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How do I examine myself?
Self examination includes both a visual exam, where you observe changes in your breasts using your eyes, and a tactile exam where you will feel the breast tissue with your hands and fingers. These checks can be done while standing or while laying down.
For a standing visual self-exam, stand in front of a clean mirror with good lighting so you can see yourself clearly. During a visual exam, you should check your breasts from multiple angles: from the left profile, from the right profile, and directly by looking into the mirror. Examine your breasts from each angle with your arms resting at the side, arms raised above the head, and with the hands pressed firmly on the hips and slightly hunched over to observe your breasts from above. Check for any changes in the shape, color, or size of your breast skin and nipples (more on that later).
Laying on your back during a self exam allows your breast tissue to spread out more thinly allowing you to better feel all of the tissue. To perform a self-exam while laying down, lay on your back, raise and rest one arm above your head, and examine the breast on the same side as the raised arm using the opposite hand. Starting at the armpit, gently press your breast tissue and slowly move your fingers downward until you reach the bottom of your ribcage. Then move your fingers closer to the middle of the breasts and feel your way upward until you reach your collarbone. Continue this up-down movement until you have examined your entire breast, stopping when you reach the sternum. Repeat this action on the other breast.
You can also examine the breasts by using the pads of your fingers and making small circles applying light, medium, and deep pressure as you travel up, down, and across the breast. Maintain contact with the skin as you move along so you don’t miss any area of tissue.
Don’t skip your armpits! Breast tissue extends into the underarm area so be sure to examine this area for any changes as well.
What am I looking for?
During a visual self-breast exam, you’re looking for any changes in the size, shape, or color of your breasts or nipples. Check for bumps, dimples, or indentations as well as unusual redness, dark spots, flakiness, dryness, or scaliness on the skin. While one breast may typically be larger than the other, take note of significant disparities between the size and shape of your breasts. Observe whether the nipples are inverted or if they are leaking any fluids or discharge.
When feeling the breast skin and tissue, be alert to any pain or soreness in the breasts or nipples. Breast tissue should feel firm and smooth. During a tactile self-exam, you’re feeling for any lumps or unusual bumps and swelling in the tissue. You should also check for lumps, swelling, or unusual thickness in the lymph nodes located in the armpits, on the skin under the arm, and in the collarbone area.
How often should I perform a self-exam?
Self breast exams are best performed when your breasts aren’t tender or swollen, so if you menstruate, you want to wait a few days after your period ends. Self exams should be performed once a month to regularly keep track of potential changes in the skin or tissue and self-exams should always be performed in addition to getting regular check-ups with a healthcare professional.
What happens if I find irregularities?
Don’t panic! Some changes in the breasts are the natural result of aging, menstrual cycle, environment, or pregnancy. Call your doctor if you think you’ve found any lumps, swelling, dimples, or other unusual changes in your breast tissue. A healthcare professional will conduct a test of their own and determine whether further testing or treatment is needed.
Self-examinations are not infallible. There is potential for error and misdiagnosis that’s why it’s important to have regular visits with a medical professional. However, when done regularly, self breast examination is a simple yet effective way to take control of your health and better understand your own body so that you can notice unusual changes more quickly and potentially identify any illness or issue that may have otherwise gone unnoticed.
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