It is easy, free, safe and painless. The BSE is one of the three important steps in breast cancer screening which includes monthly self-breast examination along with yearly breast examination by a health care provider and yearly mammograms beginning at age 40. It is important to perform the SBE on a regular basis since the more you do it the better you will be. Thus, you can report the change to your health care provider early. In fact 75 to 90 percent of all breast lumps discovered are first found by the woman herself.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis in women.
About 180,000 new cases will be diagnosed this year in the United States and from 75 to 80 percent of these women will have no risk factor for getting it. Thus, all women need to be considered at risk for breast cancer. The good news is that when breast cancer is found early, most women are successfully treated and are able to continue to lead normal, productive lives. Many breast cancers are found through routine screening and this is why breast cancer screening is so important. It is also critical that each of us get involved and tell others.