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| Screening
For Breast Cancer |
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| How
Do I perform Breast Self-Examination (BSE)? |
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| (1) Examining
your breast when you are standing up |
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This method is suitable for women
with smaller breasts. |
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It is best to perform BSE in the shower as
the lubrication from the soap helps your hand to glide smoothly
over the skin. |
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Keep your right
middle three fingers together and flat. Remember to be
as relaxed and gentle as possible. |
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Raise your left hand and
place it behind your head. |
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Use your right hand to
examine the left breast by examining the breast in widening
circles, starting from the nipple. |
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Alternatively, divide
your breast into segments and examine each segment carefully. |
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Examine right up to the
armpit and around the nipples. |
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Feel for abnormal lumps
and thickening. |
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Breast self examination
– standing up |
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Gently squeeze the central
breast area and nipples and look for any bleeding or nipple
discharges. |
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To examine the right breast,
repeat the steps using your left hand. |
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| (2) Examining
your breast when you are lying down |
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This method is suitable for women
with larger breasts. |
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Place a folded
towel under the left shoulder to examine your left breast. |
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Place your hand behind
your head. |
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Using the right hand,
fingers flat and together, examine the breast from the
outside edge and feel round the whole breast in small
circles. |
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Alternatively, divide
the breast into segments and examine each segment thoroughly. |
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Breast self-examination
– lying down |
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Be gentle
and thorough in your examination. |
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Examine right up to the
armpit and around the nipples. |
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|
Feel for abnormal lumps
and thickening. |
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|
Gently squeeze the central
breast area and nipples and look for any bleeding or nipple
discharge. |
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To examine the right breast,
repeat the steps using the left hand with the right shoulder
supported. |
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| (3) Examining
yourself in front of the mirror |
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Using a mirror to check your breasts helps
you to discover changes that you are not able to feel. |
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Check your breasts in 3 different
postures:
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Arms by the side |
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Arms raised over the head |
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Hands pressed firmly
on hips to thrust your breast forward. (Women with
large breasts can best see the contours of their
breasts by leaning forward.) |
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Breast self-examination
– in front of the mirror |
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Look out for any abnormalities on the surface
of the breasts e.g.
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Dimpling of the skin |
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Puckering or withdrawal of the nipple |
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Change in size or shape of your breast |
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These surface changes could indicate
an underlying problem. |
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