Breast self-exam guide

Let's face it, palpating and examining the breasts is a cumbersome, time-consuming chore -- much like flossing our teeth. While our intentions are honest and good for both these essential rituals, it's just so easy to forget them. Oddly enough, the regular practice of both these chores -- er, habits -- will yield a lifetime of health and body awareness.

Why do a breast self-exam?
We all know why we should do regular breast self-exams (BSEs): breast cancer is horrific and deadly, and it's not going away. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, an average of 429 Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer every week this year, and every week 102 women will die from it. One in nine women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime.

Barb Bryson, communications manager of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, says it's important for healthy women to know what their breasts look like and feel like normally. "The only way you can sense a change is if you know what 'normal' is," she explains. She stresses that any change should be reported immediately to your health care professional.

What should you look for?
It's not just lumps you're watching out for. There are many things that could indicate compromised breast health which must be reported immediately to your health care professional. Here is a complete list of what you need to look for:

1. Lumps
• Constantly present -- do not come and go with menstrual cycle.
• May feel like they are attached to the skin.
• May feel hard and different from the rest of the breast tissue.
• May be tender but not necessarily painful (though new or unusual pain should also be reported).
• Lumps in the armpits -- breast tissues also extend into the armpits. Lumps in this area may indicate cancer has spread to the lymph nodes.

2. Breast changes
• A change in the outline of the breast.
• A change in the size of the breast.

3. Nipple changes
• A nipple that suddenly becomes inverted, or the direction of your nipple changes in any way.
• Nipple that leak (without squeezing) and the discharge is bloodstained.
• Crusting, eczema-type symptoms or a rash on the nipple may indicate a rare form of breast cancer.

4. Skin changes
• Thickening and dimpling skin, like an orange peel.
• Puckering skin.
• Redness, swelling and/or increased warmth.
• Round, itchy areas.
• Distended veins on the breast in an irregular pattern.

Click here for images of changes to look for from breastselfexam.ca.

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