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Risks
By Mayo Clinic staffPerforming a breast exam isn't by itself harmful. However, there are some risks, including:
- Anxiety caused by finding a lump. Most of the changes or lumps women find in their breasts aren't cancerous. Still, finding something suspicious in your breast can make you anxious about what it may mean for your future health. You may endure several days of worry until you can see your doctor.
- More tests and procedures may be necessary to check out any lumps or changes you find. If you notice an area of concern, the exam might result in unnecessary worry and medical attention. For example, if you discover a suspicious lump, you may end up having a procedure to remove tissue for examination (biopsy). If it turns out the lump was noncancerous (benign), you might feel that you've undergone an invasive procedure unnecessarily.
- Overestimating the benefits of self-exams. Breast exams don't reduce the number of deaths from breast cancer. Because of this, breast exams are now considered optional by most organizations, such as the American Cancer Society. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that women don't do breast self-exams since they aren't proved to save lives.
Discuss the benefits and risks of breast exams with your doctor. Screening for breast cancer usually involves a combined approach that includes:
- Breast exams that you do
- Clinical breast exams by your doctor
- Mammography
Used together, these screening methods can increase your chances of finding breast cancer at an early, more treatable stage.
- How to perform a breast self-exam. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_6x_How_to_perform_a_breast_self_exam_5.asp. Accessed Nov. 19, 2009.
- Breast awareness and breast self-exam. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/breast-self-exam.cfm. Accessed Nov. 19, 2009.
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for breast cancer: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2009;151:716.
- Breast self-examination. Breast Health Access for Women with Disabilities. http://www.bhawd.org/sitefiles/bse/bse_broc.html. Accessed Nov. 19, 2009.
- Breast cancer screening: Q&A. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/pressreleases/BreastScreenQandA. Accessed Nov. 19, 2009.
- Pruthi S (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Nov. 19, 2009.
