Unveiling The Truth About Self-Breast Exams
January 26th, 2024
For many women monthly self-breast exams have long been considered an essential part of their health routine, alongside maintaining a balanced diet and regular exercise. However, conflicting advice from healthcare professionals over the years has left women of all ages feeling uncertain about whether they should continue this practice.
In 2009, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended that women at average risk for breast cancer should not feel obligated to learn how to perform self-breast exams. This recommendation echoed the guidance provided by the American Cancer Society in 2003. The task force, an independent panel of national experts in disease prevention, reaffirmed this recommendation in their updated 2016 review of breast cancer screening.
These recommendations were based on extensive studies conducted in 2003, which revealed no significant benefits to self-exams. In fact, the studies highlighted potential harm caused by unnecessary biopsies and a false sense of security when small lumps go undetected, leading women to forgo mammograms.
Breast cancer remains the most common cancer among American women, excluding skin cancers. The American Cancer Society estimates that approximately 281,500 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed this year. The average lifetime risk for women in the U.S. developing breast cancer is around 13%, or a 1 in 8 chance.
Women at higher risk for breast cancer, such as those with a strong family history of the disease, previous benign biopsy results, or genetic mutations like BRCA 1 and BRCA 2, should still visually examine their breasts monthly and undergo annual breast imaging studies starting at age 30 or even earlier.
Additionally, women at higher risk may choose to have clinical breast exams between their yearly mammograms, ultrasounds, or MRI screenings, depending on their individual cancer risk. Factors that put women at higher risk include hormone replacement therapy, being overweight or obese, leading a sedentary lifestyle, and consuming more than the recommended amount of alcohol.
It is crucial to be aware of your lifestyle choices and, to talk to your doctor about the need and frequency of breast cancer screening. Physicians also recommend seeking guidance from a nutritionist, participating in exercise classes, and in some cases, consulting with a genetic counselor to determine breast cancer risk.
The debate surrounding self-breast exams has persisted within the medical community for years. The shift away from this practice was based on two population-based studies conducted in Russia and China, involving nearly 400,000 women. These studies found no evidence that self-exams reduce breast cancer deaths. In fact, the findings, published in 2003 and updated in 2008, suggested that self-examinations had no significant impact on survival rates and may even lead to unnecessary biopsies. The group that performed self-exams underwent 3,406 biopsies, compared to 1,856 in the group that did not perform exams. No significant differences in breast cancer deaths were observed between the two groups.
For women who still prefer to conduct self-exams, it is recommended to learn the proper technique from a healthcare professional. Most physicians, keep synthetic breast models on hand to provide hands-on lessons to patients who request assistance.
Regardless of your decision regarding self-exams, it is crucial to regularly visit your healthcare provider and undergo all necessary cancer and health screenings. This is the best gift you can give yourself in terms of maintaining your well-being.
The post Unveiling The Truth About Self-Breast Exams appeared first on National Center for Health Research.