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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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Screening for Breast Cancer
The American Cancer Society recommends the following screening tests to find cancer early:
- Breast awareness and self-exam. Women should know how their breasts normally feel and report any breast change promptly to their health care providers. Breast self-exam is an option for women starting in their 20s.
- Clinical breast exam. A clinical breast exam is an exam of your breasts by a health expert such as a doctor, nurse practitioner, nurse, or physician assistant. Women in their 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam as part of a regular exam by a health expert, preferably every 3 years. After age 40, women should have a CBE by a health expert every year.
- Mammogram. A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast. Women age 40 and older should have a mammogram every year and should continue to do so for as long as they are in good health. While mammograms can miss some cancers, they are still a very good way to find breast cancer.
Women who have at least one relative (mother or sister) with breast cancer should begin breast cancer screening before age 40. Talk to your doctor if you think you are at risk.
More on Breast Cancer Breast Self-Examination
Many Women Skipping Breast Exams
Should You Have a Mastectomy to Prevent 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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