DR REKHA ARYA MBBS ,MD RADAITION ONCOLOGIST

1. BREAST SELF EXAMINATION

2. Why breast self examination screening needed ?
• Increasing incidence of aggressive Breast
Cancer in younger age group
• Rising number of cases of Breast Cancer in
India
• Late presentation- directly decreasing the long
term survival
• Lack of awareness and screening - Breast
awareness is the single most important factor
responsible for better survival in the west

3. • Opportunity for woman to
become familiar with her breasts
• Monthly exam of the breasts and
underarm area
• May discover any changes early
• Begin at age 20, continue
monthly
Self Breast Examination Steps

4. • Menstruating women- 5 to 7 days after the
beginning of their period
• Menopausal women - same date
each month
• Pregnant women – same date each
month
• Takes about 10 minutes
• Perform BSE at least once a month
• Examine all breast tissue
When to do BSE

5. Self Breast Examination Steps
• Stand before a mirror and look at both
breasts.
• Check for anything unusual, such as
nipple retraction, redness, puckering,
dimpling or scaling of the skin.
• Look for nipple discharge.

6. • Next, press hands firmly on hips
and lean slightly toward mirror as
you pull your shoulders and
elbows forward with a squeezing
or hugging motion.
• Look for any change in the normal
shape of your breasts.

7. • Looking in the mirror, raise arms and
rest hands behind head.
• This allows to see the underside of the
breasts

8. • Place left hand on waist, roll
shoulder forward and reach into
underarm area and check for
enlarged lymph nodes
• Also check the area above and
below clavicle
• To be done on both sides

9. Use three levels of pressure (light, medium and firm) while moving in a
circular motion

10. • Raise left arm.
• Use the pads of three or four fingers of right
hand to examine left breast.
• Use three levels of pressure (light, medium
and firm) while moving in a circular motion.
• Beginning at the outer edge of breast, use
flat part of fingers, moving in circles slowly
around the breast.
• Gradually make smaller and smaller circles
toward the nipple.
• Check behind the nipple as well

11. Lie flat on back with left arm over head and a pillow or folded
towel under left shoulder

12. Average-size lump found by woman practicing occasional
breast self-exam (BSE)
Average-size lump found by woman practicing regular
breast self-exam (BSE)
Average-size lump found by first
Mammogram
Average-size lump found by getting regular
mammograms