Why is it important to perform a breast self-examination periodically?

Lorena was 37 years old when she first went to her doctor's office worried about a possible anomaly in her breasts. There was a predisposition to developing breast cancer in her family, so her mother had shown her how to perform a routine breast self-examination.

Indeed, his doctor confirmed his possible diagnosis and they began more specific tests to determine the severity of the cancer and proceed with his treatment. But what would have happened if Lorena had not followed in her mother's footsteps? What if she hadn't taught them?

Let us remember, first of all, that early diagnosis is essential to improve patient survival. Women often play a central role in the early detection of tumors by finding alterations in their breasts, but the vast majority do not perform regular examinations. What is the reason why breast self-examination is not part of women's routine?

Why is it important to periodically self-examine your breasts?
Breast cancer is the most common female tumor and it is estimated that one in every 8 women will be diagnosed with it throughout their lives. Survival of breast cancer patients has improved dramatically in recent decades, with more than 80% of patients now living more than 5 years after diagnosis.

But, as is often the case, it is important to carefully analyze the data to reach the right conclusions.

Breast cancer is curable in almost all cases when diagnosed in the early stages. However, it has a much worse prognosis if the disease is detected in advanced stages.

Therefore, the great improvement in survival data has been influenced by the implementation of mass screening programs, mainly by performing mammograms on all women over 50 years of age. This technique allows the detection of tumors in the breast before they have progressed.

Self-examination would help diagnose cancer early
On the other hand, breast self-examination allows us to discover alterations in the breasts that could be caused by a tumor. Thus, it becomes a simple and cost-free tool for the early detection of this type of cancer. This technique includes observation and palpation of the breast in order to discover if there is any abnormality.

Some researchers suggest that self-examination is an essential tool for early diagnosis. They also state that women who undergo it periodically discover tumors more frequently than those who do not (between 80 and 95% of tumors are detected by patients). Other authors, however, suggest that performing this type of examination could cause unnecessary anxiety for women.

Various studies have analyzed the knowledge that women have about the breast self-examination technique and whether they perform it with the indicated frequency. These works show that the majority of women have basic knowledge of self-examination, but not the appropriate technique. Additionally, only a tiny fraction of 8% perform periodic scanning correctly.

The reasons given by women to justify not performing self-examination include fear of finding a tumor, lack of time, and lack of knowledge of the technique. In most cases, they have not received training on the procedure to follow, with healthcare personnel being the main source of information.

Steps to perform a correct breast self-examination
The purpose of breast self-examination is to discover alterations in the breasts. Therefore, it is important to perform it regularly to recognize the shape and consistency of the breasts and thus detect any changes that may appear.

It is recommended to do it once a month from the age of twenty and make it a habit throughout your life. In addition, it is important to do it during the week after menstruation or set one day a month after menopause.

The technique is simple and consists of two parts: visual exploration and palpation. The procedure can be divided into four steps:

1. Observe your breasts in front of a mirror with your arms lowered: look for changes in color, shape, orange peel or secretions.
2. Make the same observations, in front of the mirror, with your arms raised.
3. To carry out the physical examination, we will palpate each breast with the opposite hand. It involves exploring the entire breast using circular, vertical and horizontal movements. It is important to also explore the armpit area and under the collarbone.
4. It is also advisable to perform the physical examination while lying down, repeating the movements described above.

It is possible to find multiple guides and explanatory videos online, but it is also advisable to receive advice from healthcare personnel.

Breast self-examination in health programs
Family and school instill in us important habits such as reading, hygiene, order... However, they often omit important routines, such as the one developed in this article, which, sometimes, could save our lives.

Furthermore, sexual health programs do not usually include an explanation of the benefits and technique of breast self-examination. Thus, there is a gap in the training of women that could have an important economic and social impact. Monthly breast examinations, which only take five minutes, could prevent the progression of some incurable cases of breast cancer.

As a society, we should provide girls with correct sexual and reproductive education that includes, among many other topics, knowledge of the breast self-examination technique.

Source: The Conversation. Author: Ruth Rodríguez Barrueco Principal Investigator. Translational Oncology Laboratory. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona

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