ROJoson PEP TalK: Breast Self-Exam: A Habit to Cultivate - Feb 2023

1. Empowerment
objective - for
laypeople to have an
understanding of
the importance of
cultivating BREAST
SELF-EXAMINATION
as a health habit in
the light of high
incidence of breast
cancer.
February 04, 2023
1400H - 1500H
Via Zoom
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate

2. Empowerment
objective - for
laypeople to have an
understanding of
the importance of
cultivating BREAST
SELF-EXAMINATION
as a health habit in
the light of high
incidence of breast
cancer.
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
ROJoson PEP Talk
I have a Patient
Empowerment
Program in which I
like to empower the
lay people or
patients to take
control in the
management of
their health.

3. I started the PEP Talk
on May 15, 2021.
There are 3 courses
in the PEP Talk.
I completed the Core
Course on October 9,
2021.

4. From October 23,
2021 onwards, I have
been tackling Health
Disorder and Health
Issue Courses. This
may take 3 years or
longer depending on
our enthusiasm and
perseverance.

5. Empowerment
objective - for
laypeople to have an
understanding of
the importance of
cultivating BREAST
SELF-EXAMINATION
as a health habit in
the light of high
incidence of breast
cancer.
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
My PEP TALK today
is entitled: BREAST
SELF-EXAMINATION
– A Health Habit to
Cultivate.
This PEP Talk is part
of the promoting
activities and
requirements in the
BREAST SELF-EXAM
AWARDS.

6. In the light of breast cancer being the most
common cancer in the world and in the
Philippines,
all females with breasts should always be
on guard for breast cancer development in
order to catch it as early as possible
and then consult and have it treated as
early as possible
to avoid the high death rate in advanced
stage.
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate

7. Another reason why all females with
breasts should always be on guard for
breast cancer development is that up to
now, we don’t know its exact cause.
So there is really NO effective and practical
way of prevention.
It can strike anybody as no female is
totally immune from it.
It can strike anytime; we don’t know
when.
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate

8. So, how should Filipino females be on guard for
breast cancer development in order to catch it as
early as possible?
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
Currently, there are 3 ways:
• Breast self-examination
• Breast specialist clinical examination
• Imaging procedures such as
mammography and ultrasound
What should be the
sequential order on
guarding?
• Start with breast
self-examination.
• Then, breast
specialist clinical
examination as
indicated.
• Then, imaging
procedures as
indicated.

9. Why start with breast self-examination or BSE as
the first and foremost strategy in being on guard
against breast cancer development?
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
• Because you carry your breasts all the time,
day in day out.
• You can easily examine your breasts at any
time and anywhere.
• Breast self-examination costs nothing at all (no
medical expense whatsoever).
• It is simple and can be mastered as long as you
are committed and willing to learn to protect
yourself from breast cancer.
Make BSE a health
habit.
Cultivate this habit.
• If you love
yourself.
• If you want to be
on guard against
breast cancer.
• If you want to
avoid the suffering
and death from
breast cancer.

10. Why start with breast self-examination or BSE as
the first and foremost strategy in being on guard
against breast cancer development?
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
My advice is: Do not omit BSE and jump to the 2nd
and 3rd ways:
• Breast specialist clinical examination
• Imaging procedures such as mammography
and ultrasound
Why?
If you do BSE
regularly, particularly
monthly, and if you
are committed and
trained to do it, you
are in a better
position to detect
breast cancer early.

11. Why NOT to omit BSE and jump to the 2nd way
(just relying on a breast specialist)?
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
My advice is: Do not
omit BSE and jump
to the 2nd and 3rd
ways:
• Breast specialist
clinical
examination
• Imaging
procedures such
as mammography
and ultrasound
If you do BSE regularly, particularly monthly, and
if you are committed and trained to do it, you are
in a better position to detect breast cancer early.
BETTER THAN A BREAST SPECIALIST particularly
for a starting small breast cancer, because you are
more familiar with feel of your breasts and any
abnormality that may appear there.

12. Why NOT to omit BSE and jump to the 2nd way
(just relying on a breast specialist)?
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
You have more opportunities to feel and palpate
your breasts daily (again and again) once you note
of anything unusual.
A breast specialist does not have this advantage.
He may miss the small abnormality that is not
evident on the surface (NOTE: a physician is not
always 100% accurate / perfect.)
He may miss the small abnormality if you don’t
point it to him.
A big reason why you
should do regular
BSE and NOT omit it
to just rely on the
breast specialist’s
examination.
You may be able to
help the breast
specialist in
detecting your small
breast cancer.
AVOID MISSING
ONE!

13. Why NOT to omit BSE and jump to the 2nd way
(just relying on a breast specialist)?
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
This shows the
importance of doing
BSE and supplying a
breast specialist with
information from
your BSE to help him
make an accurate
diagnosis.
When you consult a breast specialist, he will or
should always ask you initially whether you have
felt an abnormal lump in your breasts before he
does inspection and palpation.
If you consult for a “lump” or “mass” you
palpated on the breast, again, he will or should
always ask you where you palpated the lump.
A big reason why you should do regular BSE and NOT omit it
to just rely on the breast specialist’s examination.

14. Why NOT to omit BSE and jump to the 2nd way
(just relying on a breast specialist)?
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
If there is an abnormal lump palpated by both
you and the breast specialist, the latter will ask
for information on the changes that may occur
from the initial detection to the time of
consultation.
The breast specialist uses these information from
your BSE to get to an accurate diagnosis.
A big reason why you
should do regular
BSE and NOT omit it
to just rely on the
breast specialist’s
examination.
You may be able to
help the breast
specialist in making
an accurate
diagnosis.

15. Why NOT to omit BSE and jump to the 2nd way
(just relying on a breast specialist)?
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
If you do monthly
BSE, you may be able
to detect the breast
cancer earlier by
yourself and then go
back to the breast
specialist sooner
than the next
scheduled check-up.
Another reason why you should NOT omit BSE
and just rely on a breast specialist -
A breast specialist has limitations. He is not
always 100% accurate in his evaluation.
If he misses a breast cancer on a medical
consultation, if he asks for a breast check-up after
6 months or one year, the missed breast cancer
can be bigger or more advanced at the time of the
next scheduled check-up.
A big reason why you
should do regular BSE
and NOT omit it to just
rely on the breast
specialist’s examination.

16. Why NOT to omit BSE and jump to the 2nd way
(just relying on a breast specialist)?
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
If you do monthly
BSE, you may be able
to detect the breast
cancer earlier by
yourself and then go
back to the breast
specialist sooner
than the next
scheduled check-up.
We don’t know when breast cancer will appear
and become evident.
Example. If during a medical consultation, there
was no evident cancer yet. The breast specialist
advises breast check-up after 2 years. After the
initial medical consultation, the breast cancer
becomes evident, say 6 months after. If one relies
on the breast specialist only without BSE, the
breast cancer can be bigger or more advanced at
the time of the next scheduled check-up.
A big reason why you
should do regular BSE
and NOT omit it to just
rely on the breast
specialist’s examination.

17. Why NOT to omit BSE and jump to the 2nd way
(just relying on a breast specialist)?
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
So, do regular BSE.
Do NOT omit to just rely on the breast specialist.
Your BSE will be of great importance.
• It can avoid missing a breast cancer by a breast
specialist.
• It can assist in making an accurate diagnosis of
a breast disorder.
• It can complement breast specialist’s objective
of early detection.
• IT CAN PROMOTE EARLY DETECTION OF BREAST
CANCER BY YOURSELF.

18. Why NOT to omit BSE and jump to the 3rd way
(just relying on imaging procedures)?
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
My advice is: Do not
omit BSE and jump
to the 2nd and 3rd
ways:
• Breast specialist
clinical
examination
• Imaging
procedures such
as mammography
and ultrasound
If you do BSE regularly, particularly monthly, and
if you are committed and trained to do it, you are
in a better position to detect breast cancer early
and without the frequent uncertain readings and
undue false alarms of imaging procedures
(specifically, mammography and ultrasound).

19. Why NOT to omit BSE and jump to the 3rd way
(just relying on imaging procedures)?
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
BSE, if done properly, will be able to catch a
breast cancer as small as 1 cm. which is in the
early stage.
Although imaging procedures such as
mammography and ultrasound can catch breast
cancer lesser than 1 cm, they carry a lot of
uncertain readings and false alarms thereby
causing undue anxiety and unwanted operations.
The survival rates of
Stage 1 (1 cm to less
than 2 cm tumor
size) and Stage 0
(less than 1 cm
tumor size) have
little difference.
Stage 1 – 98% 5-year
SR
Stage 0 – 99% 5-year
SR

20. Why NOT to omit BSE and jump to the 3rd way
(just relying on imaging procedures)?
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
Imaging procedures are not always 100%
accurate.
They may miss and erroneously interpret lumps
palpated by patients in BSE and breast specialists
in their clinical examination.
These can be corrected by the breast specialists’
examination and correlation with BSE findings.
A big reason why you
should do regular
BSE and NOT omit it
to just rely on the
imaging procedures.
You may be able to
help the breast
specialist in making
an accurate
diagnosis.
BSE data are needed.

21. Why NOT to omit BSE and jump to the 3rd way
(just relying on imaging procedures)?
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
Imaging procedures are not always 100%
accurate.
They may miss a breast cancer.
If patients rely on imaging procedures and the
next schedule is one to 2 years, then the missed
breast cancer can be bigger or more advanced at
the time of the next scheduled procedures.
If you do monthly
BSE, you may be able
to detect the breast
cancer earlier by
yourself and then to
the breast specialist
sooner than the next
scheduled check-up.

22. Why NOT to omit BSE and jump to the 3rd way
(just relying on imaging procedures)?
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
Once reports of imaging procedures come in, the
breast specialists will correlate the findings with
their physical examination findings and with the
history of the patients, particularly on the BSE
information of the patients if it is regularly done.
Correlation of these three sets of data and info
are important to come out with an accurate
diagnosis.
A big reason why you
should do regular
BSE and NOT omit it
to just rely on the
imaging procedures.
You may be able to
help the breast
specialist in making
an accurate
diagnosis.
BSE data are needed.

23. Why NOT to omit BSE and jump to the 3rd way
(just relying on imaging procedures)?
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
Except for patients with high risk for breast cancer
(where mammography is being recommended as
a screening procedure), imaging procedures
should be done only as indicated (that is, only if
there is an abnormality detected by the breast
specialist and there is uncertainty in his diagnosis
that a diagnostic test is needed.)
There are usually less false alarms in such
situations.

24. Why NOT to omit BSE and jump to the 2nd way
(just relying on imaging procedures)?
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
So, do regular BSE.
Do NOT omit to just rely on imaging procedures.
Your BSE will be of great importance.
• It can avoid missing a breast cancer by imaging
procedures.
• It can assist in making an accurate diagnosis of
a breast disorder.
• It can complement imaging procedures
objective of early detection.
• IT CAN PROMOTE EARLY DETECTION OF BREAST
CANCER BY YOURSELF.

25. So, how should Filipino females be on guard for
breast cancer development in order to catch it as
early as possible?
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
Currently, there are 3 ways:
• Breast self-examination
• Breast specialist clinical examination
• Imaging procedures such as
mammography and ultrasound
What should be the
sequential order on
guarding?
• Start with breast
self-examination.
• Then, breast
specialist clinical
examination as
indicated.
• Then, imaging
procedures as
indicated.
TO REPEAT / RE-EMPHASIZE

26. Why start with breast self-examination or BSE as
the first and foremost strategy in being on guard
against breast cancer development?
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
• Because you carry your breasts all the time,
day in day out.
• You can easily examine your breasts at any
time and anywhere.
• Breast self-examination costs nothing at all (no
medical expense whatsoever).
• It is simple and can be mastered as long as you
are committed and willing to learn to protect
yourself from breast cancer.
Make BSE a health
habit.
Cultivate this habit.
• If you love
yourself.
• If you want to be
on guard against
breast cancer.
• If you want to
avoid the suffering
and death from
breast cancer.

27. Don’t be afraid to do BSE.
Don’t let the accuracy worry of doing BSE
deterred you from doing BSE.
BSE can be learned, can be mastered with
no cost.
What is needed is commitment, discipline
and perseverance.
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
• If you love
yourself.
• If you want to be
on guard against
breast cancer.
• If you want to
avoid the suffering
and death from
breast cancer.
Make BSE a health
habit.
Cultivate this habit.

28. Why a lot of women are afraid of doing BSE?
One specific reason forwarded is they are afraid
to find something fearsome, particularly breast
cancer.
This is unfounded and is a detrimental attitude.
You won’t be able to detect the breast cancer
early.
What is the solution here?
Education, persuasion, and psychotherapy if
indicated.
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
• If you love
yourself.
• If you want to be
on guard against
breast cancer.
• If you want to
avoid the suffering
and death from
breast cancer.
Make BSE a health
habit.
Cultivate this habit.

29. Why a lot of women are afraid of doing BSE?
Another reason forwarded is the belief that
touching or palpating the breast may cause breast
cancer.
This is a myth that has arisen from the belief that
trauma or a bump is a cause of breast cancer.
A bump on the breast does not cause breast
cancer.
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
• If you love
yourself.
• If you want to be
on guard against
breast cancer.
• If you want to
avoid the suffering
and death from
breast cancer.
Make BSE a health
habit.
Cultivate this habit.

30. Why a lot of women are afraid of doing BSE?
The background story behind the myth is that the
painless unnoticeable cancer has been in the
breast even before the bump. One day, when the
bump occurs on the breast that contains the
cancer, the person reflexly touches her breast and
lo and behold, the cancer is discovered. This is
origin of this myth believing that the bump
caused the breast cancer. It is not true a bump on
the breast or touching or palpating the breast can
cause breast cancer.
SOLUTION: Education and persuasion
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
• If you love
yourself.
• If you want to be
on guard against
breast cancer.
• If you want to
avoid the suffering
and death from
breast cancer.
Make BSE a health
habit.
Cultivate this habit.

31. They don’t want to do BSE because they don’t
know how to it.
Very superficial reason but this is a common
reason presented!!!
What is the solution here?
Convince the laypeople of the usefulness of BSE.
Once they are convinced, teach them properly.
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
• If you love
yourself.
• If you want to be
on guard against
breast cancer.
• If you want to
avoid the suffering
and death from
breast cancer.
Make BSE a health
habit.
Cultivate this habit.

32. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
Before going to how to do BSE, some essential
pointers to remember:
• All women should start developing a habit of
doing BSE as early as age 20 as part of their
preparedness program in detecting breast
cancer in case one unfortunately develops in
their bodies. Breast cancer is still rare in this
age group. It starts coming out at age 30 to 40.
So, at age 20, there is a lead-time of 10 years in
developing BSE as a health habit in detecting
early breast cancer.

33. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
• BSE consists of inspection (looking at anything
unusual on the externals of the breasts) and
palpation (feeling the breasts for an abnormal
mass).
Before going to how to do BSE, some essential
pointers to remember:

34. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
Before going to how to do BSE, some essential
pointers to remember:
• In palpation, one has to differentiate lumpy
breast tissues from a real mass which is
medically called dominant mass (a more-or-
less round or oval hump with a feel that is
different from the surrounding normal breast
tissues). If there is palpated dominant mass,
automatically it is considered as a red flag (for
further investigation as it signifies an
abnormality).

35. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
Before going to how to do BSE, some essential
pointers to remember:

36. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
Before going to how to do BSE, some essential
pointers to remember:
• For menstruating women, it is usually
advisable to do BSE a few days after the last
day of the mense to avoid hormonal swelling
of breast tissues during mense being mistaken
for a dominant mass. This is aside from
avoiding the discomfort induced by palpating a
breast that is usually sensitive during time of
menstruation.

37. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
Before going to how to do BSE, some essential
pointers to remember:
• For non-menstruating women, it is usually
advisable to choose either the first or last day
of the month for doing a monthly BSE for ease
of memory.

38. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
Before going to how to do BSE, some essential
pointers to remember:
• The first goal of BSE is to look and feel for
anything unusual on the breasts. Once
something unusual is found, either it is closely
monitored for persistence or it is brought to
the attention of a breast specialist already. The
self-monitoring of doubtful unusual findings
can be done with repeated BSE on the same
day, subsequent days or the next month.

39. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
Before going to how to do BSE, some essential
pointers to remember:
• The second goal of BSE is to try to interpret the
unusual findings as much as able. If unable to
and a red flag is present, consult a breast
specialist right away.

40. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
Before going to how to do BSE, some essential
pointers to remember:
• There are many techniques as there are
authors. Choose one that is simple and
practical to do as long as the end-points or
goals are reached, especially the first goal.

41. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
How to Do Breast Self-Examination – by ROJoson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkqI3aVkhLs

42. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
How to Do Breast Self-Examination – by ROJoson
Visual Inspection (LOOKING)
Expose the upper body.
In a standing position, face a mirror to view entire
chest and breasts.

43. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
How to Do Breast Self-Examination – by ROJoson
With both arms down and then raised over the
head,
look for anything unusual on the breasts!

44. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
How to Do Breast Self-Examination – by ROJoson
Look for changes in the contour of the breasts and
armpits, such as bulge, skin dimpling, and
flattening!

45. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
How to Do Breast Self-Examination – by ROJoson
Look for unusual changes on the skin of the
breasts, such as redness and lesions!

46. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
How to Do Breast Self-Examination – by ROJoson
Manual Palpation (FEELING)
In a standing position, with one arm raised over
the head, using the flats of 2 to 3 fingers (2nd to
4th fingers) of the other hand, gently but firmly
palpate the entire breast on the side where the
arm is raised.

47. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
How to Do Breast Self-Examination – by ROJoson
Feel for anything unusual in the breast and feel
for a possible presence of a dominant mass!
A dominant mass is an unusual density distinct
from the surrounding breast tissue with a felt
margin or border which connotes a three
dimensional lump.

48. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
How to Do Breast Self-Examination – by ROJoson
Cover the entire area of the breast by going one
quadrant at a time until all four quadrants of the
breast are palpated.

49. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
How to Do Breast Self-Examination – by ROJoson
Before palpating the armpit, gently squeeze the
nipple for possible presence of discharge.

50. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
How to Do Breast Self-Examination – by ROJoson
When palpating the armpit, put the arm down to
have a lax or slack skin fold. Place the palpating
fingers initially at the uppermost portion of the
armpit. Then, gently but firmly press against the
chest wall in the armpit and slowly glide the
fingers downward to feel for anything unusual
and to feel for a possible presence of a dominant
mass!

51. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
How to Do Breast Self-Examination – by ROJoson
Repeat the same procedures for the other breast,
nipple, and armpit.

52. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
How to Do Breast Self-Examination – by ROJoson
Interpretations of Findings on BSE

53. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
How to Do Breast Self-Examination – by ROJoson
Interpretations of Findings on BSE
- NO dominant breast mass found on physical
examination in patients complaining of breast
mass and in patients coming for breast check =
normal or fibrocystic changes
- Breast pain with NO dominant breast mass =
fibrocystic changes

54. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
How to Do Breast Self-Examination – by ROJoson
Interpretations of Findings on BSE
- Nonsanguinous (not red) nipple discharge with
NO dominant breast mass = fibrocystic
changes
- Sanguinous (red) nipple discharge with NO
dominant breast mass = intraductal
papilloma

55. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
How to Do Breast Self-Examination – by ROJoson
Interpretations of Findings on BSE
- Focal erythema or redness and tenderness with
NO dominant breast mass = mastitis

56. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
How to Do Breast Self-Examination – by ROJoson
Interpretations of Findings on BSE
- Focal erythema or redness with a tender,
fluctuant dominant breast mass = breast
abscess

57. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
How to Do Breast Self-Examination – by ROJoson
Interpretations of Findings on BSE
- cystic mass with no signs of malignancy –
Macrocyst

58. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
How to Do Breast Self-Examination – by ROJoson
Interpretations of Findings on BSE
SUSPECT CANCER:
- Presence of a dominant breast mass with telltale
(or giveaway) signs of malignancy (signs of local
invasion of the breast mass on the adjacent
tissues and signs of spread)
- Presence of sanguinous nipple discharge with an
accompanying dominant mass

59. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
How to Do Breast Self-Examination – by ROJoson
Interpretations of Findings on BSE
CANCER SUSPECT
Signs of local invasion of the breast mass
on the adjacent tissues
• Fixation to the adjacent tissues such as the
overlying skin inclusive of the nipple and
areola and the underlying tissues such as chest
muscles and ribs.
• Skin changes over the mass that are suggestive
and indicative of local invasion such as
ulcerations and fungation.

60. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
How to Do Breast Self-Examination – by ROJoson
Interpretations of Findings on BSE
CANCER SUSPECT
Signs of spread
• presence of palpable ipsilateral axillary
lymph node and supraclavicular lymph
node.

61. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
Summary
Take Away
• Develop BSE as a health habit. Make it as your
first and mainstay screening and detecting
armamentarium for breast cancer. You can
complement BSE with breast specialist exam
and imaging procedures as needed and
indicated. Do not rely solely on breast
specialist examination and imaging procedures
as they may give a false-negative finding at the
time of examination and if you do monthly BSE,
you may be able to discover a dominant mass
that may appear before the next checkup. This
way, you are able to discover a dominant mass
early.

62. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
Summary
Take Away
• Do not listen / be discouraged by the negative
recommendations on BSE.
• Do not be afraid to do BSE as it will not cause
breast cancer. Do not be afraid to do BSE
because of fear of finding breast cancer. If
there is breast cancer, with BSE, it will be
detected early enough.
• Do not simply say you don’t know how to do
BSE to justify your reason for not doing BSE.
You have to learn how to do it because of its
usefulness. You can easily learn it as it is
simple.

63. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
Summary
Take Away
• Doing regular BSE is an investment for your
breast health. Nobody knows when breast
cancer will strike. Do monthly BSE so that once
breast cancer strikes, you can detect it early
enough. With early recognition and early
treatment, your chances of cure will be high.
If you don’t do BSE AND if a breast cancer
appears and is already in the advanced
stage, you will be blamed for the situation.
You did not love yourself and your body
enough.

64. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
Summary
Take Away
• BSE as a health habit is simple and without
cost. It can be repeated anytime without
added cost. It can be done anytime and
anywhere.
• It can detect breast cancer and other breast
diseases. It can detect early breast cancer as
long it is done regularly and properly and as
long as it is reported to a breast specialist early
enough. Consult a breast specialist right away
once a dominant mass is detected during BSE.

65. Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate
Take Away in
relation to
Patient
Empowerment
Be always in touch with reliable medical
information on BREAST SELF-EXAMINATION.
Knowledge is power; it gives power.
Use the 4Ks of Patient Empowerment:
Kaalaman, Kakayanan, Karapatan and
Kapangyarihan
to gain greater control over decisions in
management of your breast health AND in
detecting breast cancer early in case it
occurs.

66. Empowerment
objective - for
laypeople to have an
understanding of
the importance of
cultivating BREAST
SELF-EXAMINATION
as a health habit in
the light of high
incidence of breast
cancer.
Breast Self-
Examination:
A Health Habit
to Cultivate

68. Breast Self-
Exam Awards
What is the Breast Self-Exam Awards?
Project launched: January 15, 2022
The primary objective of the Club / Awards is to
promote early detection of breast cancers among
Filipino women.
To promote / advocate the practice of a health
habit called Regular BSE among Filipino women
so that in case a breast cancer strikes, they will
be able to catch it early enough and have it
treated as soon as possible.

69. Here are the general mechanics of the awards:
• Teach the registrants on how to do breast self-
examination.
• Teach them how to interpret findings on breast self-
examination.
• Document their performance of regular breast self-
examination for at least 9 consecutive months with
a report card and a video every quarter with clothes
on (total of 3 videos).
• Incentivize them with certificates and cash awards.
Breast Self-
Exam Awards
What is the Breast Self-Exam Awards?

70. • Teach the registrants on how to do breast self-
examination. (will give links to learning
materials.)
Breast Self-
Exam Awards
What is the Breast Self-Exam Awards?

71. • Teach the registrants on how to do breast self-
examination.
Breast Self-
Exam Awards
What is the Breast Self-Exam Awards?
ROJoson PEP Talk on Breast Self-
Examination: A Health Habit to
Cultivate
and
Online Learning cum Evaluation
Test Exercise

72. • Teach them how to interpret findings on breast
self-examination.
Breast Self-
Exam Awards
What is the Breast Self-Exam Awards?
ROJoson PEP Talk on Breast Self-
Examination: A Health Habit to
Cultivate
and
Online Learning cum Evaluation
Test Exercise

73. • Document their performance of regular breast
self-examination for at least 9 consecutive
months with a report card and a video every
quarter with clothes on (total of 3 videos).
Breast Self-
Exam Awards
What is the Breast Self-Exam Awards?
February to October
9 months

74. • Document their performance of regular breast
self-examination for at least 9 consecutive
months with a report card and a video every
quarter with clothes on (total of 3 videos).
Breast Self-
Exam Awards
What is the Breast Self-Exam Awards?
Coordinators and Members doing
monthly BSE for at least 9 months
must submit a report card and a
video of BSE with CLOTHES ON
once every 3 months.

75. • Incentivize them with certificates.
Breast Self-
Exam Awards
What is the Breast Self-Exam Awards?

76. • Incentivize them with cash awards.
Breast Self-
Exam Awards
What is the Breast Self-Exam Awards?
BSE Coordinators – Minimum of P600 each (with
one recruited member) to maximum of P1000
each (with five recruited members)
BSE Members – P500 each (doing monthly BSE for
at least 9 months)
Ayuda for breast cancer discovered early (T1-T2)
through monthly BSE in 2023 - P5000 each

77. • Incentivize them with certificates.
Breast Self-
Exam Awards
What is the Breast Self-Exam Awards?
Eligibility for
Certificates and Cash
Awards:
• Report Card
• Videos with
clothes on (at
least 3)
• Perfect score in
OLETE on Breast
Self-Exam: a
Health Habit to
Cultivate

78. 2023 Awarding:
either October 2023 or December 3,
2023
– During the 36th Cancer Crusaders
Club Annual Christmas Get-Together
Virtual Meet
Breast Self-
Exam Awards
What is the Breast Self-Exam Awards?

79. Do regular monthly breast self-exam.
It is the best strategy against breast
cancer – simple, practical, no-cost
strategy for early detection – can
save life against breast cancer.
Breast Self-
Exam Awards
What are ROJoson’s Parting Tips on Breast Self
Exam and the Awards?

80. Do regular monthly breast self-exam.
Look and palpate for anything
unusual on the breasts.
If there is anything unusual found,
consult a breast specialist right away.
Breast Self-
Exam Awards
What are ROJoson’s Parting Tips on Breast Self
Exam and the Awards?

81. Breast Self-
Exam Awards
What are ROJoson’s Parting Tips on Breast Self
Exam and the Awards?
Project launched: January 15, 2022
Continuing BSE Awards Year 2 – 2023
The primary objective of the Club / Awards is to
promote early detection of breast cancers among
Filipino women.
To promote / advocate the practice of a health
habit called Regular BSE among Filipino women
so that in case a breast cancer strikes, they will
be able to catch it early enough and have it
treated as soon as possible.
You and your
relatives and close
friends!
Protect yourself and
your loved ones!
DEADLINE FOR
SUBMISSION:
February 7, 2023

82. Breast Self-
Exam Awards
What are ROJoson’s Parting Tips on Breast Self
Exam and the Awards?
To promote / advocate the practice of a health
habit called Regular BSE among Filipino women
so that in case a breast cancer strikes, they will be
able to catch it early enough and have it treated
as soon as possible.