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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
A breast exam is a self-inspection of your breasts. During a breast exam, you use your eyes and hands to observe the appearance and feel of your breasts.
Breast exams, once thought essential for early breast cancer detection, are now considered optional. While screening mammograms have been proved to save lives, there's no evidence that breast exams can do this. What's now stressed is breast awareness — being familiar with the normal consistency of your breasts and the underlying tissue, as well as inspecting your breasts for new changes that may signify potential breast problems.
References
- Breast cancer. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer/detailedguide/breast-cancer-detection. Accessed May 13, 2011.
- Fletcher SW. Screening for breast cancer. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 12, 2011.
- Sabel MS. Breast lumps and other common breast problems. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 12, 2011.
- Breast self-exam. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp145.cfm. Accessed May 13, 2011.
- Breast self-examination. Breast health access for women with disabilities. http://www.bhawd.org/sitefiles/bse/bse_broc.html. Accessed May 13, 2011.
- Mathias KL, et al. Palpable presentation of breast cancer persists in the era of screening mammography. Journal of the American College of Surgeons. 2010;210:314.
- Pruthi S (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 18, 2011.
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