Still, regularly scheduled screening mammograms, together with clinical breast exams, offer the best chance of finding and treating breast cancer early. Studies show that mammograms reduce the risk of dying from breast cancer. The National Cancer Institute recommends that women in their forties and older have mammograms on a regular basis, every 1 to 2 years. Women should talk with their doctor about factors that can increase the risk for breast cancer. Women of any age who are at higher risk for this disease should ask their doctor when to begin and how often to have screening mammograms and breast exams.
Some women perform monthly breast self-exams to check for any changes in their breasts.
When doing a breast self-exam, it's important to remember that each woman's breasts are different, and that changes can occur because of aging, the menstrual cycle , pregnancy, menopause , or taking birth control pills or other hormones . It is normal for the breasts to feel a little lumpy and uneven. Also, it is common for a woman's breasts to be swollen and tender right before or during her menstrual period. Remember that for women in their forties and older, a monthly breast self-exam is not a substitute for regularly scheduled screening mammograms and clinical breast exams by a health professional.