Ladies, be proactive! Did you know that 40% of diagnosed breast cancers are detected by women who feel a lump? There are several steps that you and your doctor can take to detect breast cancer. In general, the earlier breast cancer is found, the better your prognosis is. The key is to detect breast cancer before you experience symptoms. Women can and should examine their own breasts starting in their 20s. Performing regular self-exams allows a woman to know how her own breasts look and feel, which may make you more likely to report any changes to your doctor that may be signs of infection, breast disease, or breast cancer.
Q: What is the benefit of a breast self-exam?
The purpose of doing a breast self-exam is to know and recognize what’s normal for you, also known as breast self-awareness. Knowing how your breasts typically look and feel can help you notice a change (if one were to occur).
Q: When to perform a breast self-exam?
You should perform a breast self-exam a few days after your period ends, and for post-menopausal women, you should perform your self-exam on the same day of each month (i.e., the 1st or 15th day).
Q: Can I rely on breast self-exams alone to be sure I am cancer-free?
Self-exams are essential for your breast health but should never replace breast exams from your provider and screening tests like mammograms. Mammography usually detects tumors before they can be felt, so screening is vital for early detection. When breast self-exams are paired with regular medical care and appropriate guideline-recommended mammography, they can help you know what is expected so you can report any changes to your doctor.
Q: What do I do if I notice a change?
Alert your doctor if you notice any changes in your breasts, such as a new lump, sore spot, changes in the appearance of the skin, or nipple discharge. Try not to panic (easier said than done, right?); 8 out of 10 lumps are not cancerous. If you need additional peace of mind (which is normal), call your doctor whenever you have concerns.
Q: How do I perform a breast self-exam?
There are three ways of performing a breast self-exam:
- Circular: Start at the outer edge of your breast and move your fingers around the entire breast in a circular motion.
- Vertical: Start at your underarm area and move your fingers downwards and back up until you have checked your entire breast.
- Wedge: Start at the outer edge of your breast and move your fingers towards the nipple and back to the edge until you have checked the entire breast in small wedge-shaped sections.
And remember:
- Use the pads of your three middle fingers to feel your breast.
- Always check your underarms and upper chest as well.
- Apply different levels of pressure while doing a self-exam.
- Look at your breasts in a mirror to check for any visual changes, such as changes in breast shape and/or swelling.
The Ruth Beer Breast Center at ImageCare
The Ruth Beer Breast Center at ImageCare, located in Latham and Clifton Park, is one of the Capital Region’s few full-service breast centers providing the latest breast cancer screening and diagnosis. An accredited American College of Radiology (ACR) facility, The Breast Center of ImageCare provides state-of-the-art technology paired with excellent patient care to serve women’s breast health needs. They offer the unique benefit of providing breast imaging services in one location without traveling to different offices for care. You’ll come to know our staff and trusted physicians throughout your visits with us, so you can feel confident you are in excellent and familiar hands.
Drs. Rupal Patel, Jessica Fournier, Catherine Wells, and Michael Gabor are fellowship-trained and board-certified in breast imaging. They are leaders in their specialized field in administering and reading mammography, breast ultrasound, and breast MRI, ensuring that the most qualified professionals are reviewing your tests. Our radiologists will provide you with your test results and take the time to explain what is being done every step of the way. Our specialists perform image-guided biopsies at both of our Breast Centers in Latham and Clifton Park. Our ImageCare locations in Guilderland, Niskayuna, and North Greenbush also provide screening services. Diagnostic imaging is performed in our Latham and Clifton Park ImageCare offices.
Sometimes, a little handholding is just what you need. The Breast Center at ImageCare is pleased to provide our patients with access to our unique certified breast patient navigators to assist through the diagnostic process. If something abnormal appears on an imaging study, our breast patient navigators can meet with you privately to review and coordinate what will happen next. Understanding this is a sensitive time, our certified breast navigators provide our patients with toolkits with essential information and resources, and they offer you support. The breast patient navigators also connect you with CCP’s oncology nurse navigator to further guide and help you through the following steps beyond diagnosis and results.
There are tremendous resources and specialists available to you for treatment and care. While The Breast Center doesn’t treat breast cancer, we have strong relationships with many reputable and trusted specialists within Community Care Physicians, including Community Care Breast Surgery, and throughout the Capital Region area, who can provide you with treatment options. Community Care Breast Surgery offers care for breast cancer patients, high-risk surveillance, and benign breast disease. Patients and their families can expect the personalized attention they deserve from initial referral, preoperative counseling, surgical intervention, and postoperative follow-up. Our patient navigators will walk you through the process to find a doctor with whom you feel comfortable.