There are three important methods, which applied together, help to detect breast
cancer early:

• Breast self-examination (BSE)
• Clinical breast exam CBE (breast exam by a doctor or nurse)
• Mammogram (X-ray of the breast)

What you should know about BSE

Many tumours are discovered by women – during baths, while turning over in bed, while in the shower or during sex. In fact, around forty percent of breast cancers are discovered by women or their partners. In order to decrease the risk of randomly discovering a tumour, which has achieved a large size, it is good to attain a minimum level of knowledge regarding one’s own body. Breast Self-Examination (BSE) is an effective method of caring about your health that is always at hand.

Unfortunately, mammography, which has been a standard tool for breast cancer screening for many years, according the new research is neither fail-safe nor risk-free. Until a safe, foolproof and accessible screening method for breast cancer can be developed, self-exams are an irreplaceable element in the early detection tool kit.

From a psychological point of view, BSE gives women the power to decide what is best for them health-wise and therefore serves to increase self-esteem. Being informed and prepared for how to deal with the disease, promoting prevention by being informed of risk factors, being aware of diagnostic and therapeutic options as well as learning proper BSE techniques, collectively, form a sort of  “protective bubble”. One should be aware that the effectiveness and usefulness of BSE depends on learning the proper method and skills allowing to distinguish between what, in your breast, is normal and what is not.

Ideally, the method should be demonstrated for the first time, by professionally trained medical personnel during your annual clinical breast exam.

Approaching BSE as a specific type of exercise rather than a complicated, scary diagnostic procedure, will make becoming skilled in examining your breasts much easier. Even if your doctor regularly examines your breasts, chances are this occurs only once a year. The same goes for screening mammography. The advantage of BSE is that you can perform it yourself as often as you wish – ideally once a month.
 

This is not an attempt to convince you that BSE is a universal or superior method of diagnosis to mammography or clinical breast examination but the recommendations should be treated as a self-teaching guide, which stresses that it is never too late to learn, particularly if the skills attained serve to enhance your health.

Besides possibly helping you to discover a tumour, getting into the routine of systematic, monthly BSE performance also increases your awareness of the disease.

In order to increase your chances of survival, it is a good thing to take matters “into your own hands” and learn a new skill, which may one day save your life.