Breast self examination, its purpose and procedure

2. BREAST SELF
EXAMINATION
Prepared by:
Prabita Shrestha

3. Introduction:
 The exam is referred to as a “BSE.”
 Breast self-examination (BSE) is a screening
method used in an attempt to detect early breast cancer.
 The method involves the woman herself looking at and
feeling each breast for possible lumps, distortions or
swelling.
 BSE was once promoted heavily as a means of finding
cancer at a more curable stage, but large randomized
controlled studies found that it was not effective in
preventing death, and actually caused harm through
needless biopsies and surgery.

4. Contd:
• Once thought to be a good screen for breast cancer, a
self-exam is now considered to be less effective than
other techniques, such as regular mammograms.
• However, breast self-exams help you familiarize yourself
with the shape, size, and texture of your breasts. This is
important because it can help you determine if what you
are feeling is normal or abnormal.

5. Purpose:

6. • To detect early breast cancer
• To find out abnormal findings in breast
Contd:

7. Symptoms of breast cancer:

8. When should women do BSE?
• All women over the age of 20 are recommended to do a
breast self examination every month.
• Whilst having a periods a good time to do a breast self exam
is one week after your period has finished – for example, day
1 is the first day of your period and your period finishes on
day 5, so day 12 would be an ideal time to examine your
breasts. They are less tender at this time and less likely to be
lumpy due to hormonal changes.
• During breast feeding a good time to check breasts is after a
good feed, so then breasts are ‘empty’ and the examination is
more comfortable.
• After the menopause choose a regular day – for example the
first day of every month – so that you do not forget.

9. Risks of BSE:
• Many lumps are benign – non cancerous – and
are as a result of hormonal changes in the
breast. Finding a breast lump is an anxious time
and often the worry is unnecessary as the lump
is harmless.
• If all women act early on any breast changes,
although there may be some unnecessary stress
over the benign lumps, there will also be
improved outcomes for the women that do have
cancer and need early treatment in order to
survive.

12. Step 1: Begin by looking at your
breasts in the mirror with your
shoulders straight and your arms on
your hips.
Here's what you should look for:
•Breasts that are their usual size,
shape, and color
•Breasts that are evenly shaped
without visible distortion or swelling
If you see any of the following
changes, bring them to your doctor's
attention:
•Dimpling, puckering, or bulging of the
skin
•A nipple that has changed position or
an inverted nipple (pushed inward
instead of sticking out)
•Redness, soreness, rash, or swelling

13. Step 2: Now, raise your arms
and look for the same changes.
Step 3: While you're at the
mirror, look for any signs of
fluid coming out of one or both
nipples (this could be a watery,
milky, or yellow fluid or blood).

14. • Step 4: Next, feel your breasts while lying down, using
your right hand to feel your left breast and then your left
hand to feel your right breast. Use a firm, smooth touch
with the first few finger pads of your hand, keeping the
fingers flat and together. Use a circular motion, about the
size of a quarter.
• Cover the entire breast from top to bottom, side to side —
from your collarbone to the top of your abdomen.

15. • Follow a pattern to be sure that you cover the whole breast.
• You can begin at the nipple, moving in larger and larger
circles until you reach the outer edge of the breast.
• You can also move your fingers up and down vertically, in
rows.
• This up-and-down approach seems to work best for most
women.
Contd:

16. • Be sure to feel all the tissue from the front to the
back of your breasts: for the skin and tissue just
beneath, use light pressure; use medium
pressure for tissue in the middle of your breasts;
use firm pressure for the deep tissue in the back.
• When you've reached the deep tissue, you
should be able to feel down to your ribcage.
Contd:

17. Step 5: Finally, feel your
breasts while you are
standing or sitting. Many
women find that the easiest
way to feel their breasts is
when their skin is wet and
slippery, so they like to do this
step in the shower. Cover
your entire breast, using the
same hand movements
described in step 4.

18. References:
• http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer/moreinformat
ion/breastcancerearlydetection/breast-cancer-early-
detection-acs-recs-bse
• http://www.cyfairhospital.com/en-
us/ourservices/communityservices/pages/theimportance
ofbreastself-exams.aspx
• http://www.healthline.com/health/breast-lump-self-
exam#BreastSelf-ExamOverview1
• http://www.breastcancerdeadline2020.org/breast-cancer-
information/breast-cancer-information-and-positions/bse-
position.pdf