What
is BSE and why should women do it?
BSE is a simple and effective way for women to recognize the early
signs and symptoms of breast cancer. Every woman is at risk for
breast cancer - it is the second most common form of cancer in women
(nonmelanoma skin cancer is the most common) and has the second
highest cancer mortality rate in women (lung cancer has the highest
rate). Approximately 200,000 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed
with breast cancer and 40,000 women will die from the disease each
year. BSE is the first line of defense for women to detect breast
cancer at an early stage and increase the chances for a successful
recovery.
When
should I perform BSE and how often?
BSE should be performed once a month. The procedure itself is simple
and should only take a few minutes. The best time to do a BSE is
about a week after your period because many women experience breast
tenderness and bloating before and during their period. For women
on birth control pills, the week you start a new pack can remind
you to perform a BSE.
If you
don't have regular periods, it may help you to remember to do BSEs
if you choose a date each month that's easy to remember like your
birth date or the first of each month. Performing BSEs on a regular
basis will allow you to become familiar with the size and feeling
of your breasts and can help you detect any changes if they occur.
In addition
to BSEs, women over the age of 20 should schedule a regular clinical
breast exam along with a gynecological exam with their medical provider
every year.
How
do I perform BSE and what am I looking for?
BSE is simple to perform and can quickly become a part of your health
routine. You can also ask your partner if they would perform BSE
for you.
1. Look
in the mirror at your breasts. Put your hands on your hips and bend
slightly forward from the waist. Look for any signs of dimpling,
puckering, or uneven textures in both breasts. Look again with your
arms raised above your head.
2. Standing
in the shower, you can use soap to allow your fingers to slide more
easily over your skin. With your right hand behind your head, use
your left hand to check your right breast. Using the flat pads of
your fingers, start at the upper corner of your breast (closest
to your armpit), and with firm pressure move your fingers together
in a circular motion. Slowly move your fingers in one of 3 ways:
a circular pattern around the breast moving in towards the nipple;
a vertical up and down motion from armpit to rib cage; or a diagonal
wedge motion from the edge of the breast to the nipple and out again.
Be sure to cover the entire breast and underarm area and use the
same method each month. To view a picture of these methods, you
can visit The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation's site to view or downlard a BSE instruction card.
3. Switch
sides by placing your left hand behind your head and use your right
hand to check your left breast.
4. Squeeze
both nipples to check for signs of discharge (other than breast
milk).
5. Repeat
the process lying down. Sometimes it can be easier to recognize
lumps when the breast tissue is flat against your chest.
When
performing BSEs you are looking for:
Any
dimpling or puckering of the skin
Changes
in the nipple: inverted, scaliness, discolored, or discharge
Redness
Swelling
Warmth in the breast
Skin that appears pink, reddish purple or bruised
Skin that has ridges or appears pitted, like the skin of an orange.
Pain
in the breast
A
mass that is painless, hard and has irregular edges
If you have any of these symptoms and you are a Brown student, call 863-3953
to make an appointment at Health Services to have a medical provider
examine your breasts. You can request to have a female provider
if you would be more comfortable having a woman examine you.
What
does it mean if I find a lump?
It is important to remember that breast changes are normal, especially
in young women. Just because you find a lump or notice a change
in your breasts doesn't mean that you have breast cancer. Some women
have lumpy breasts and other women experience regular breast changes
during their menstrual cycle. If you are concerned about a lump,
have your medical provider perform a clinical breast exam to determine
whether you need further testing, such as a mammogram, ultrasound
or biopsy. These tests will help determine if the lump is cancerous
or if the lump is actually a cyst, a symptom of fibrocystic breast
condition or another benign (not cancerous) breast condition. Out
of the lumps that are biopsied, 80% are found to be benign. However,
if you do notice a lump, enlargement, tenderness or other unexplained
changes in your breasts, talk to your medical provider right away.
The sooner you have the lump diagnosed, the more treatment options
you will have and the more successful your treatment will be.
What
are the risk factors for breast cancer?
There are different types of risk factors for breast cancer. Some
risk factors are inherent - you can't change them. Other risk factors
are related to lifestyle choices and can be changed. Some factors
can put you at higher risk than others and risk factors can change
over time. Some of the risk factors a woman cannot change include:
Gender
- simply being a woman is the main risk factor for developing
breast cancer.
Age
- your risk of developing breast cancer increases as you get older.
Genetics
- 10% of breast cancer cases are hereditary as a result of gene
changes (mutations).
Family
History - breast cancer risk is higher among women whose close
blood relatives have this disease.
Personal
History - a woman with cancer in one breast has a 3- to 4-fold
increased risk of developing a new cancer in the other breast
or in another part of the same breast.
Race
- White women are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer
than are African-American women. Asian, Latino, and Native American
women have the lowest risk of developing breast cancer.
Previous
Biopsies - women whose earlier breast biopsies detected proliferative
breast disease are at higher risk.
Previous
Irradiation - women who as children or young adults have had radiation
therapy to the chest area as treatment for another cancer (such
as Hodgkin's disease or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma) have a significantly
increased risk for breast cancer.
Menstrual
History - women who started menstruating at an early age (before
age 12) or who went through menopause at a late age (after age
50) have a slightly higher risk of breast cancer.
Risk
factors that are related to lifestyle choices that can possibly
be changed include:
Not
having children - women who have not had children or who had their
first child after age 30 have a slightly higher breast cancer
risk.
Oral
contraceptive use - studies have found that women using oral contraceptives
may have a slightly greater risk of breast cancer than women not
using them, although the level of risk is still not clear.
Hormone
replacement therapy - most studies suggest that long-term use
(5 years or more) of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after menopause
will increase your risk of breast cancer.
Not
breast-feeding - many studies have shown that breast feeding lowers
breast cancer risk.
Alcohol
consumption - women who drink 2 to 5 alcoholic beverages a day
increase their risk of developing breast cancer 1.5 times the
risk of non-drinkers.
Obesity
and high-fat diets - being overweight is associated with an increased
risk of developing breast cancer, especially for women after menopause.
(Adapted from American Cancer Society, "What are the risk
factors for breast cancer.")
It
is important to remember that just because you have one or more
risk factors does not guarantee that you will develop breast cancer.
Some women with a number of risk factors never develop breast cancer
while the majority of women with breast cancer have no identifiable
risk factors.
What
are mammograms?
A mammogram is a screening procedure that uses x-ray photographs
to look deep into the breast tissue. Mammograms can detect a lump
well before it can be felt. The process involves a mildly uncomfortable
squeezing of the breast between 2 plastic plates in a x-ray machine.
The procedure should not be painful and only lasts a few minutes.
Annual mammograms are recommended for women over the age of 50.
Women between the ages of 40 and 50 should have a mammogram every
2 years, and depending on their medical history, younger women may
also decide to have mammograms.
Can
men get breast cancer?
Yes, men can also develop breast cancer, although the incidence
of male breast cancer is low. Approximately 1,500 men will be diagnosed
with breast cancer and 400 will die from the disease each year in
the U.S.
Does
having breast implants or breast reduction surgery effect the risk
of breast cancer?
The National Cancer Institute conducted a study that followed over
13,000 women for over 10 years to examine whether there is an association
between having breast implants and having an increased risk for
breast cancer. The study found that there was no change in breast
cancer risk for women who had breast implants. Click here
to read more about the study.
If you
have implants, you should still perform BSEs. In order to do this
effectively, you should ask your medical provider to help you distinguish
the implant from your breast tissue. Press firmly inward at the
edges of the implants to feel the ribs beneath, checking for any
lumps. However, be careful not to manipulate (e.g., squeeze) the
implant excessively, which may cause the implant to leak or deflate.
Any new lumps or sores should be evaluated with a biopsy. If a biopsy
is performed, care must be taken to avoid puncturing the implant.
A research
study published in the February 2001 issue of Cancer, found
that women who had breast reduction surgery actually decreased their
risk of breast cancer. However, breast reduction surgery is not
recommended as a method to prevent breast cancer. To read more,
click here.
Links
you can use
To learn more about BSEs and breast cancer, you can visit:
