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Breast Self-Exam Checklist |
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Be familiar with normal appearance of your breasts.
Look for swelling, puckering, dimpling, redness, and nipple discharge.
Feel for unusual lumps, soreness, change from normal consistency.
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Causes
The exact cause of breast cancer is not known. Family history of breast cancer, genetic mutations and environmental factors play some kind of role. Normal breast tissue grows in an orderly fashion in response to hormonal fluctuations and during lactation. Breast tumors (both benign and malignant) are formed over years when disordered and accelerated cells form a mass. Most breast tumors are benign and are not life-threatening, although certain benign tumors are linked to an increased risk for getting breast cancer. Malignant tumor cells, however, have the unique ability to invade surrounding breast tissue and possibly spread (metastasize) to distant organs.
More on Breast Cancer Breast Cancer in the Family
Who Gets Breast Cancer?
In the Encyclopedia: Breast reconstruction
Breast self-examination
Breast ultrasound
Breast cancer
Lumpectomy
This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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