October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so this is your annual reminder to do those self-examinations or get checked out for any early signs of the disease.
South Africa (30 September 2022) – Regular breast self-examination and breast screening with mammograms are essential to ensure the greatest chance of survival from breast cancer, which accounted for more than 25% of new cancer cases in South African women in 2020, and 8% of cancer deaths.[i]
With a lifetime risk of 1 in 25,[ii] breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in South Africa. Although rare, 1-3% of all breast cancers occur in men[iii] and they too are encouraged to self-examine, especially if breast cancer is common in the family.
The Breast Imaging Society of South Africa (BISSA), a sub-specialty group of the Radiological Society of South Africa (RSSA), urges everyone to regularly self-examine one’s breasts, and not to wait for a partner or a medical professional to discover a lump or changes in the breast. Additionally, from the age of 40 years until at least 70years, all women should seek an annual mammogram.
Prof Jackie Smilg, chair of the Breast Imaging Society of South Africa (BISSA), says “early detection of breast cancer can lead to effective treatment and dramatically improves the chances of survival”.
“It’s important for everyone to become familiar with one’s breasts in order to understand what is normal and consult a doctor if one sees any changes. There are many breast changes detected during self-examination that will be benign and of no concern, but in some cases the changes may signal something serious.”
She says that although there are multiple contributing factors to breast cancer development, those with immediate family members diagnosed with breast cancer may be at higher risk.
“We encourage women over 40 to have a yearly mammogram, the gold standard for early detection of breast cancer. Anyone with a family history of breast cancer should get medical input as to the best screening recommendations relevant to themselves.
Screening for breast cancer aims to find the disease before it causes symptoms. Those who undergo regular breast cancer screening are diagnosed earlier, with less advanced cancer and smaller tumours, undergo less aggressive treatment and have a lower risk of dying from the cancer.[iv]”
She said that regular screening was more likely to find breast cancers when they are small and still limited to the breast area. This is important for successful treatment and survival, since the size and extent of the spread are crucial in predicting the outcome of a breast cancer diagnosis.
“While advances in breast cancer treatment have definitely also contributed to improved survival rates as well as enabling less aggressive and invasive treatment, the foundation remains early detection through regular screening,” Prof Smilg said.
How to do a self-examination
Prof Smilg said that the breast changes throughout the menstrual cycle and that it is important to always self-examine at the same time of the month, usually a week after your period when your breasts are less tender due to fluctuations in hormone levels.
Visual examination – sit or stand, without clothing, in front of a mirror with your arms to your side and look for changes in size, shape, symmetry, puckering and dimpling.
Physical examination – lying down so that your breast tissue spreads out making it easier to feel, or in the shower using soap to glide more easily over your breasts:
- Use the pads of your three middle fingers, not your fingertips, to examine.
- Apply different pressure levels – light to feel the breast tissue closest to the skin, medium to feel deeper, and firm to feel the tissue closest to the chest and ribs.
- Use a methodical technique such as beginning near the collarbone, then moving towards the nipples, in a clockwork fashion.
- Allow enough time and don’t rush the examination.
Signs to look out for
The signs and symptoms for men and women are the same. Visit your healthcare provider if you notice any of these changes:
- swelling of all or part of the breast,
- skin irritation, dimpling or ridges on the skin,
- nipple pain or the nipple turning inward,
- redness, scaliness or thickening of the nipple or breast skin,
- a nipple discharge other than breast milk, or
- a lump or knot near the underarm area.
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