A breast self-examination (BSE) is an important part of self-health care for women, especially for women at high risk for breast cancer (Doheny, 2009). This exam can help a woman know what is normal for her own breasts. She can do the breast exam herself and can also teach her partner to do it. Ninety percent of breast lumps, most of which are benign, are found by women themselves. Women find most cancerous tumors accidentally, by routine touching in the shower or while dressing, or when their partners notice a lump. One method of doing a breast exam is illustrated in the Your Sexual Health box, "How to Examine Your Breasts." It is helpful to fill out a chart, such as the one shown in I Figure 3.8, to keep track of lumps in the breasts. Many breasts
Fill out a chart, like the one shown here, when you examine your breasts. For any lump you find, mark
1. its location
2. its size (BB, pea, raisin, grape)
3. its shape (rounded or elongated)
Compare each record with the last one, and consult your health practitioner regarding any changes. A new or changing lump should be checked as soon as possible. Most such lumps will prove to be benign.
Today’s date______________
I Figure 3.8 It is helpful to use a chart similar to this one to keep track of lumps in the breasts.
SOURCE: Reprinted with permission from Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Oregon.
Female Sexual Anatomy and Physiology
YOUR SEXUAL
HEALTH
Breast self-exam.
normally feel lumpy. Once a woman becomes familiar with her own breasts, she can notice any changes. If there is a change, she should consult a health-care practitioner, who might recommend further diagnostic testing.
Symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer, a rare but aggressive kind of breast cancer, include redness, swelling, and warmth in the breast. The skin on the breast may also appear pitted, like the skin of an orange. A lump is usually not present. The symptoms usually develop over a period of weeks or months (National Cancer Institute, 2006). •