Breast Cancer Awareness: Performing Self-Checks
October is here and along with it comes Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We’re going to dive into everything you need to know about breast cancer awareness, including how to check for it at home, detecting early signs, symptoms, and more. Breast cancer continues to be the fifth leading cause of death for women, and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women. It was estimated that 684,996 women died from breast cancer across the globe in 2020. Statistics show that 1 in 8 women in the United States is at risk of developing breast cancer at some point in their life, according to the CDC.
Breast Cancer Awareness
October marks an important month in bringing a strong awareness to breast cancer and breast cancer prevention. We’ll talk about the importance of getting checkups from a medical professional; how you can do home checkups or self-examine at home and how you can take the help of people at home to examine you. By knowing the signs and checking early and often, you can help yourself or a loved one prevent breast cancer. Some common signs of breast cancer to watch for include:
● Skin irritation, rippling, or dimpling
● Nipple discharge
● Pain or discomfort in the breast or nipple
● Redness or thick skin around the nipple
● Breast swelling
Breast Cancer Factors
While breast cancer can be genetic, there are several lifestyle choices that can have an impact on your chances of getting it. These include things such as increased alcohol intake, excessive weight gain, and being physically inactive. These choices become more potent with age. While I encourage women of all ages to be aware of the signs and perform self-checks, it’s especially important for women over 40 to get necessary breast cancer risk assessment and begin early screening.
Different Types of Breast Checks
Clinical breast exams are low-cost tests performed by trained professionals, so even if it’s your first time undergoing a risk assessment, rest assured you’re in safe hands (pun intended). There are 3 typical tests used to evaluate breast health:
● Mammogram: an X-ray breast exam that’s efficient in detecting lumps and other irregularities long before symptoms of breast cancer start to show
● Ultrasound: for women at slightly higher risk of developing cancer
● MRI: used to screen high-risk women and locate the potential area where cancer could develop
Performing Self-Checks
I cannot stress enough the importance of getting to know the look and feel of your own breasts so you can tell if something is off. It’s crucial to know what abnormalities look like so you can take the next step if you detect something in your self-exam.
According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, adult women should self-examine at least once a month. Start with standing in front of the mirror and moving your hands first to the sides and then above your head to look for unusual changes such as lump or swelling, puckering or dimpling, inflammation, nipple inversion, liquid discharge from the nipple, etc. Then place your arms on your hips and flex your breasts outward to check for the breast size difference.
Another method of performing a self-exam is by lying down. Start with resting your right shoulder above a pillow and your right arm behind your head. Then take your left hand, move it around the right breast covering the nipple, squeeze the nipple and check for lumps or discharge. You can apply these steps for evaluating the left breast, too.
Shower Checks
Showers are a convenient and easy way to perform self-checks, so drop the loofa and get to checking! Standing in the shower and putting your right arm behind your head, use the pads of 3 middle fingers of your left hand to apply pressure to your right breast. Use your fingers to check your breast for any lump, knot, hardening, or other changes. If you notice something is off, call your doctor and get a professional exam. It’s better to err on the side of caution to catch things early. It’s important to be aware that not all breast cancers are the same. Not all women will have signs. There is something known as Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) where symptoms are not present, but the cancer is. This is why checking often is your best defense.
Keep in mind that some women never experience any symptoms. Screening exams can help people find dangerous cancers before symptoms even occur. The earlier the detection, the better the odds of preventing spreading throughout the body. Early detection and treatment are our best weapons against preventing breast cancer deaths.
Mammography guidelines vary depending on your risk guidelines. Please read them here and make a plan with your doctor based on your personal needs.
The Importance of Exams
Although knowing your body is important and self-examinations are no substitutes for clinical breast assessments, there might be times when either you’ll be over-worrying or under-worrying about your breast health. Having your partner help you with checks is another method many women opt for. They can provide comfort and a second opinion if you feel something is off. Knowing what to look for and knowing what is normal for your body are the first steps to bringing awareness to preventing breast cancer.
Every woman should know what her breasts normally feel like and what changes to look for to detect cancer at an early stage – even before the signs start showing up. Mammograms are often done on a once-a-year basis, so it’s important to continue to perform self-checks throughout the year to stay on top of things. Mammography or regular home checks are like taking one step towards embracing a healthier lifestyle – it’s important.
Get screened. Tell your friends to get screened. Share this blog post, so we can spread awareness, support each other, and maybe even save a life.
Together.
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