American Cancer Society Self Breast Exam

American Cancer Society Guidelines For The Early Detection Of Cancer

Screening tests are used to find cancer before a person has any symptoms. Here are the American Cancer Society’s recommendations to help guide you when you talk to your doctor about screening for certain cancers.

Health care facilities are providing cancer screening during the COVID-19 pandemic with many safety precautions in place. The American Cancer Society Get Screened campaign encourages people to start or restart their recommended cancer screenings. Regular screenings can help find and treat pre-cancers and cancers early, before they have a chance to spread. Visit Get Screened to learn about screening tests and what you can do to get on track with a cancer screening schedule thats right for you.

Self Breast Exam And The American Cancer Society

So I have read the article from the American Cancer Society on their new breast cancer screening guidelines. And I am honestly having trouble not losing my mind

The part that has smoke coming out of my ears is their opinion of lack of benefit of doing a clinical breast exam and breast self-exam . They have stated this:

Research does not show a clear benefit of physical breast exams done by either a health professional or by yourself for breast cancer screening. Due to this lack of evidence, regular clinical breast exam and breast self-exam are not recommended. Still, all women should be familiar with how their breasts normally look and feel and report any changes to a health care provider right away.

Research does not show Well hell, I show. And the thousands of other women and men whos breast cancer was found from a self exam, they show.

In my opinion, I think the ACS is sending a potentially deadly message by saying that self breast exams are NOT recommended. And I, 100% do not agree with this recommendation. If we want early detection, and oh my God we do, then women and men need to use common sense. Do your self breast exam REGARDLESS of what the American Cancer Society recommends. Take care of your body and know your boobs.

Seriously folks, keep doing your self exams. For your breasts, your testicles or whatever part of your body.

Lots of love and common sense,Shannon

Take Control Of Your Health And Help Reduce Your Cancer Risk

• Stay away from all forms of tobacco.
• Get to and stay at a healthy weight.
• Get moving with regular physical activity.
• Eat healthy with plenty of fruits and vegetables.
• It’s best not to drink alcohol. If you do drink, have no more than 1 drink per day for women or 2 per day for men
• Protect your skin.
• Know yourself, your family history, and your risks.
• Get regular check-ups and cancer screening tests.

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Clinical Breast Exam And Breast Self

Research has not shown a clear benefit of regular physical breast exams done by either a health professional or by women themselves . There is very little evidence that these tests help find breast cancer early when women also get screening mammograms. Most often when breast cancer is detected because of symptoms , a woman discovers the symptom during usual activities such as bathing or dressing. Women should be familiar with how their breasts normally look and feel and should report any changes to a health care provider right away.

While the American Cancer Society does not recommend regular clinical breast exams or breast self-exams as part of a routine breast cancer screening schedule, this does not mean that these exams should never be done. In some situations, particularly for women at higher-than-average risk, for example, health care providers may still offer clinical breast exams, along with providing counseling about risk and early detection. And some women might still be more comfortable doing regular self-exams as a way to keep track of how their breasts look and feel. But its important to understand that there is very little evidence that doing these exams routinely is helpful for women at average risk of breast cancer.

American Cancer Society Screening Recommendations For Women At High Risk

Women who are at high risk for breast cancer based on certain factors should get a breast MRI and a mammogram every year, typically starting at age 30. This includes women who:

• Have a lifetime risk of breast cancer of about 20% to 25% or greater, according to risk assessment tools that are based mainly on family history
• Have a known BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation
• Have a first-degree relative with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, and have not had genetic testing themselves
• Had radiation therapy to the chest when they were between the ages of 10 and 30 years
• Have Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Cowden syndrome, or Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome, or have first-degree relatives with one of these syndromes

The American Cancer Society recommends against MRI screening for women whose lifetime risk of breast cancer is less than 15%.

Theres not enough evidence to make a recommendation for or against yearly MRI screening for women who have a higher lifetime risk based on certain factors, such as:

• Having a personal history of breast cancer, ductal carcinoma in situ , lobular carcinoma in situ , atypical ductal hyperplasia , or atypical lobular hyperplasia
• Having extremely or heterogeneously dense breasts as seen on a mammogram

If MRI is used, it should be in addition to, not instead of, a screening mammogram. This is because although an MRI is more likely to find cancer than a mammogram, it may still miss some cancers that a mammogram would find.

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How To Perform A Breast Self

The best time to do a BSE is about a week after your period ends. This is because your breasts are not as tender at this time. If you dont have periods, or they are irregular, choose a day that is easy for you to remember, such as the first of the month.

• To begin, stand in front of a mirror with your arms at your sides. Look for any changes in the size or shape of your breasts and any puckering, dimpling, or redness of the skin. Then, raise your arms above your head and look again.
• Next, feel your breasts with your hands. Use a circular motion starting at the outside of your breast and moving in toward the nipple. Be sure to feel all of the breast tissue from top to bottom and side to side. Use light, medium, and firm pressure to feel different layers of tissue.
• You can also lie down to do this part of the exam. Place a pillow under your right shoulder and your right arm behind your head. Using your left hand, move the pads of your fingers around your right breast in a circular pattern. Be sure to use different amounts of pressure to feel different levels of tissue. Repeat these steps on the left side.
• Finally, feel each breast while you are in the shower. Use a soapy washcloth or shower puffer to make small circles with moderate pressure over your entire breast.

American College Of Obstetricians And Gynecologists Screening Guidelines

The ACOG recommendations include the following.

Recommendations based on good and consistent scientific evidence

Women at average risk of breast cancer should be offered screening mammography starting at age 40 years. Women at average risk of breast cancer should initiate screening mammography no earlier than age 40 years. If they have not initiated screening in their 40s, they should begin screening mammography by no later than age 50 years. The decision about the age to begin mammography screening should be made through a shared decision-making process. This discussion should include information about the potential benefits and harms.

Women at average risk of breast cancer should have screening mammography every 1 or 2 years based on an informed, shared decision-making process that includes a discussion of the benefits and harms of annual and biennial screening and incorporates patient values and preferences. Biennial screening mammography, particularly after age 55 years, is a reasonable option to reduce the frequency of harms, as long as patient counseling includes a discussion that with decreased screening comes some reduction in benefits.

Women at average risk of breast cancer should continue screening mammography until at least age 75 years.

Recommendations based on limited or inconsistent scientific evidence

Health care providers periodically should assess breast cancer risk by reviewing the patients history.

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Colon And Rectum Cancer

*A digital rectal exam should be done at the same time as sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, or DCBE. **For FOBT or FIT, highly-sensitive versions of the tests should be used with the take-home multiple sample method. A FOBT or FIT done during a digital rectal exam in the doctor’s office is not adequate for screening. ***Yearly FOBT or FIT plus flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years is preferred over either option alone.1The fecal immunochemical test was adopted as part of the ACS guidelines in 2003.2The first 4 tests are designed to find both early cancer and polyps. The last 3 tests will primarily find cancer and not polyps. The first 4 tests are preferred if they are available to you and you are willing to have one of these more invasive tests.3If test results are positive , colonoscopy should be done.4 The 3-year interval was specified in 2014. When the guidelines were published in 2008, the interval was not specified.

Study Design And Subjects

Present study was a descriptive, analytic cross sectional. By using simple randomized method and after approving of the Research Ethic Committee of Islamic Azad University of Hamedan, 358 women were selected from Gynecology clinics in Hamedan city from April 10 to July 10, 2012. The including criteria were 35 years of age or more who were eligible to take part in the study, and without any history for breast cancer. The excluding criteria were unwillingness to attend the research during the study, and having a series of diseases.

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What Are Screening Tests

Screening refers to tests and exams used to find a disease in people who dont have any symptoms. The goal of screening tests for breast cancer is to find it early, before it causes symptoms . Early detection means finding and diagnosing a disease earlier than if youd waited for symptoms to start.

Breast cancers found during screening exams are more likely to be smaller and less likely to have spread outside the breast. The size of a breast cancer and how far it has spread are some of the most important factors in predicting the prognosis of a woman with this disease.

Clinical Considerations And Recommendations

How should individual breast cancer risk be assessed?

Health care providers periodically should assess breast cancer risk by reviewing the patients history. Breast cancer risk assessment is based on a combination of the various factors that can affect risk Box 1610111213. Initial assessment should elicit information about reproductive risk factors, results of prior biopsies, ionizing radiation exposure, and family history of cancer. Health care providers should identify cases of breast, ovarian, colon, prostate, pancreatic, and other types of germline mutation-associated cancer in first-degree, second-degree, and possibly third-degree relatives as well as the age of diagnosis. Women with a potentially increased risk of breast cancer based on initial history should have further risk assessment. Assessments can be conducted with one of the validated assessment tools available online, such as the Gail, BRCAPRO, Breast and Ovarian Analysis of Disease Incidence and Carrier Estimation Algorithm, International Breast Cancer Intervention Studies , or the Claus model 34.

Is screening breast self-examination recommended in women at average risk of breast cancer, and what should women do if they notice a change in one of their breasts?

Should practitioners perform routine screening clinical breast examinations in average-risk women?

When should screening mammography begin in average-risk women?

How frequently should screening mammography be performed in average-risk women?

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This Guideline Is For Women At Average Risk For Breast Cancer But How Do I Know If I Am At Average Risk

The best way to determine if you are at average or high risk for breast cancer is to talk with your health care provider about your family history and your personal medical history. In general, women at high risk for breast cancer include women with a family history of breast cancer in a first degree relative , women with an inherited gene mutation, and women with a personal history of breast cancer.

What Constitutes Average And High Risk

On average, a woman faces a 12% lifetime risk a one in eight chance of developing breast cancer over her lifetime, Hoskins explains. That is considered average risk. That risk doubles to a one in four or 25% chance if she has a first degree relative a mother, sister or child who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Anything above 20% is considered high risk.

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What To Do If You Find A Lump

Donât panic if you think you feel a lump in your breast. Most women have some lumps or lumpy areas in their breasts all the time, and most breast lumps turn out to be benign . There are a number of possible causes of non-cancerous breast lumps, including normal hormonal changes, a benign breast condition, or an injury.

Donât hesitate to call your doctor if youâve noticed a lump or other breast change that is new and worrisome. This is especially true for changes that last more than one full menstrual cycle or seem to get bigger or more prominent in some way. If you menstruate, you may want to wait until after your period to see if the lump or other breast change disappears on its own before calling your doctor. The best healthcare provider to call would be one who knows you and has done a breast exam on you before â for example, your gynecologist, primary care doctor, or a nurse practitioner who works with your gynecologist or primary care doctor.

Make sure you get answers. Itâs important that your doctor gives you an explanation of the cause of the lump or other breast change and, if necessary, a plan for monitoring it or treating it. If youâre not comfortable with the advice of the first doctor you see, donât hesitate to get a second opinion.

What To Look For

There are several things you should be looking for when you perform a breast self-exam. These include:

• Any change in the size, shape, or appearance of your breasts
• Dimpling, puckering, or redness of the skin
• A new lump or mass
• Nipple discharge
• Nipple tenderness or pain
• Swelling in the armpit

If you find any of these changes, it does not necessarily mean that you have breast cancer. However, it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible so that he or she can determine if there is cause for concern.

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General Considerations For Screening

The goal of screening for cancer is to detect preclinical disease in healthy, asymptomatic patients to prevent adverse outcomes, improve survival, and avoid the need for more intensive treatments. Screening tests have both benefits and adverse consequences .

Breast self-examination, breast self-awareness, clinical breast examination, and mammography all have been used alone or in combination to screen for breast cancer. In general, more intensive screening detects more disease. Screening intensity can be increased by combining multiple screening methods, extending screening over a wider age range, or repeating the screening test more frequently. However, more frequent use of the same screening test typically is associated with diminishing returns and an increased rate of screening-related harms. Determining the appropriate combination of screening methods, the age to start screening, the age to stop screening, and how frequently to repeat the screening tests require finding the appropriate balance of benefits and harms. Determining this balance can be difficult because some issues, particularly the importance of harms, are subjective and valued differently from patient to patient. This balance can depend on other factors, particularly the characteristics of the screening tests in different populations and at different ages.

What Exactly Should A Woman Do At Age 40 Should She Get Screened Or Not How Should She Decide

The risk of breast cancer is lower in women between the ages of 40 to 44. Still, some women will choose to accept the greater chance of a false-positive finding and the harms that could come from that as a reasonable tradeoff for potentially finding cancer. The decision about whether to begin screening before age 45 is one that a woman should make with her health care provider.

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Why Perform A Breast Self

Reasons to Give Yourself a Breast Exam

Why examine your own breasts? Because breast self-examination is a lifesaving habit. It is the best defense we have against breast cancer.

According to the American Cancer Society , breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women, except for skin cancers. The average risk of a woman in the United States developing breast cancer sometime in her life is about 13 percent. This means there is a 1 in 8 chance she will develop breast cancer. This also means there is a 7 in 8 chance she will never have the disease.The ACS also has some positive statistics. Since 2007, breast cancer death rates have been steady in women younger than 50, but have continued to decrease in older women. From 2013 to 2018, the death rate went down by 1 percent per year. These decreases are believed to be the result of finding breast cancer earlier through screening and increased awareness, as well as better treatments. BSE is a key to early detection.

The following are some of the reasons WHY you should make BSE a regular, monthly habit:

To schedule a mammogram, call 638-2121.