Cover

at any fixed time of the month.

Lactating women should also

follow the same, only they should

do the examination after emptying

the breast. Women who have a

breast implant should also do a

regular self-examination.

How do I

performmy BSE?

Stand or sit undressed from

the waist up in front of a full-length

mirror with your arms relaxed at

your sides. Get to know how your

breasts look; even small visual

changes may be an important sign

of a problem.

Compare your breasts while

turning from side to side. Look for

any changes in breast size, shape,

skin texture or color including

redness, dimpling, puckering or

retraction.

Risk factors

These include a personal history of

breast abnormalities and age, since

the risk of developing breast cancer

increases with age. The majority of

breast cancer cases occur in women

older than age 50 as well as the

age at menarche (first menstrual

period). “Women who had their

first menstrual period before age

12 have a slightly increased risk of

breast cancer and also the age at

the woman’s first live birth and the

family history of breast cancer,” Dr.

Dmitrieva explains.

Breast Self-

Examination (BSE)

A breast self-examination has to

be done at a regular interval. The

duration depends on your own

menstrual cycle as the breast is

more soft and easy to be checked

about five to seven days after the

start of the cycle. In women who

don’t have a cycle it can be done

Look for any nipple changes and

place your hands on your waist and press

inward, then turn from side to side to

note any changes.

Place your hands at your waist

and bow toward the mirror, letting your

breasts fall forward. Note any changes in

breast shape.

Nipple discharge can be an

indication of a problem. Also feel above

and below your collarbone for pea- and

bean-sized lumps or thickening. Check

for lumps or thickening under your arm.

For the next steps, lie down

Place a pillow under your left

shoulder. Bend your left arm behind

your head and reach across with your

right hand to your left breast.

Genes

For women with two or more first degree relatives, risks

decrease with age at first live birth, tells Dr. Dmitrieva. “Breast

cancer amongst first-degree relatives--sisters, mother, and

daughters--is also a risk factor since having one or more

first-degree blood relatives who have been diagnosed with

breast cancer increases a woman’s chances of developing the

disease,” she says. “Another risk factor is breast biopsies as

women who have had breast biopsies have an increased risk

of breast cancer, especially if the biopsy showed a change

in breast tissue, known as atypical hyperplasia.” Other risk

factors are age at menopause, use of birth control pills, high

body mass index, a high-fat diet, alcohol, radiation exposure,

and environmental pollutants, and use of hormone therapy.

Sep/Oct 2015