- 15/July/2019
CHECK FOR SIGNS OF BREAST CANCER IN 5 STEPS - Cancer Awareness - Ananthapuri Hospitals
Breast self-examination (BSE) is an examination method which allows you to check your breasts for any physical or visual changes that may indicate breast cancer. Everyone - especially women - should examine their breasts regularly as it can help detect breast cancer early. However, it is not a replacement for clinical breast examination and mammogram. To accurately determine the presence of breast cancer, a BSE should be in addition to a mammogram and a clinical breast examination that is done by a health care provider for women above 20 years.
How do you do a breast self-examination?
You can do a self-examination of your breast at your convenience and it involves no cost. Here is how you can do a BSE in 5 steps!
Step 1
Stand straight in front of a mirror with your arms on your hips. Observe the size, shape and colour of your breasts and check for the following changes in your skin:
- Lumps or bulging of the skin
- Dimpling or wrinkling of the skin
- Changed position of the nipple
- Redness, soreness or swelling in your nipple
Step 2
Lift your arms and look for the same changes as mentioned in the previous step.
Step 3
Inspect for signs of any fluid coming out of one or both nipples. This fluid can be watery, milky, yellowish or even blood. In case you do notice fluid discharge, it should be brought to the notice of your doctor as soon as possible.
Step 4
Lie down. Using your right hand, firmly and smoothly feel your left breast in a circular motion. Using your left hand, feel your right breast in the same manner. Begin with small circles and as you reach the outer edge of your breast, move in larger circles. Starting from your collarbone to the upper abdomen and from your armpit to your cleavage, examine your whole breast. Pay extra attention to the area between the breast and the underarm, and the underarm itself.
In this way, you can make sure to cover your entire breast. You can also use vertical motions if it is more comfortable for you.
Use three different levels of pressure to examine your breasts:
- For the skin and tissue just beneath, use light force;
- For the skin and tissue in the middle of your breasts, use medium force;
- For the deep tissue in the back of your breasts (you should be able to feel the ribcage), use firm force
Step 5
Feel your breasts while standing or sitting. Examine your entire breast using the same hand movements described in the previous step.
When should I do a breast self-examination?
A BSE can be done every month. The best time to do a BSE is a few days after your menstruation ends because that is when your breasts are least likely to be sore or tender. If you have reached menopause, then fix a random date this month to do a BSE and do it on the same date every month.
When should I be scared?
If you notice any abnormalities like lumps, puckering or soreness in your breasts, there is a valid reason for concern and you need to inform your doctor about it. It is natural to feel frightened because of the thought of cancer but most breast lumps are non-cancerous (benign), so there is no need for panic. If by chance it is cancerous, there are more chances for a cure in the earlier stage than a later stage. It is therefore important that you see a doctor immediately if you notice anything unusual about your breasts.
The Department of Oncology in Ananthapuri Hospitals and Research Institute offers dedicated care and comprehensive screening protocols for early Early Screening and Cancer Detection We have an exclusive Breast & Prostate Clinic that provides a suite of preventive health checks, advanced imaging, mammography and expert diagnosis for breast cancer.
To book an appointment, call us at +91 9400332777 or visit our hospital at Chacka, NH Bypass, Thiruvananthapuram.