BREAST CANCER CONFIDENCE

BOOB CHECK

BY MICHAELA RAES

You may have heard the statistics before – one in eight women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Hearing this figure likely provokes the thought - “when was the last time I checked my breasts?” For some, this may be followed by a sense of fear, which can be so overwhelming that they may choose not to perform a breast check at all.

It is normal to have concerns about a disease that we hear about so often, especially if a loved one has been through it – but your breasts are not a ticking time bomb, and most lumps are not cancer. Many women have benign lumps in their breasts due to breast density or fibrocystic changes. We should not avoid our monthly self-checkups out of fear – finding a lump does not necessarily mean that you have breast cancer, but if you do find one you’ll want to let your doctor know. Among women who have breast cancer, 40% detected a lump on their own; it is important to keep track of your own body so that you can identify any changes. This is crucial regardless of age, family history, genetic background, presence of other risk factors, or whomever else you think is monitoring them for you. Checking your breasts is a way to show yourself and your body that you love and care about your health. So, if it’s been more than a month, it’s time to get familiar with those ta-tas.

A breast cancer survivor’s tips for monthly self-breast checks:

- Choose a day each month that you can remember and make your breast self-awareness routine a regular part of your wellness practices. Healthcare experts recommend doing this 3-5 days after your menstrual period ends, however if you do not menstruate, have irregular periods, or just have trouble remembering, a good time to do it is on the first of each month. Feeling it on the first is an easy way to remember that it’s time for your breast-check!

Start with a visual examination of your breasts

o Stand in front of a mirror and look at both breasts – check for anything unusual, such as redness, dimpling, puckering, swelling, nipple retraction, or change in size or shape o Inspect your breasts with your hands pressed on your hips, then with your arms raised/resting behind your head

o Lift your breasts and inspect the ridges along the bottom

Next, use your hands to check your breasts

o Use the pads of your three middle fingers for the exam

o Use different levels of pressure to feel all layers of breast tissue – light pressure to feel tissue closest to the skin, medium pressure to feel a little deeper, and firm pressure to feel the tissue closest to the chest and ribs

o Follow a set pattern – lines, wedges, and circles are common

o Do not lift your fingers while feeling the breast

o Feel all the way up to your collarbone, your armpits, and your sides

- Keep in mind that many women find lumps or changes in their breasts that are completely normal changes, which occur at various points in the menstrual cycle. Finding a change or lump in your breast is not a reason to panic

- Contact your doctor if you notice a hard lump near your underarm, changes in the way your breasts look or feel, redness/ swelling/pain, abnormal discharge, itching, sores, or rashes

DR K

“Keep in mind that many women find lumps or changes in their breasts that are completely normal changes, which occur at various points in the menstrual cycle. Finding a change or lump in your breast is not a reason to panic.”

DR K