HYDERABAD: Breast cancer has emerged as one of the main causes of cancer morbidity and mortality in India. But doctors are not recommending breast self-examination instead they are suggesting the ‘breast aware’ concept.
Several organisations have been coming out with different educational leaflets, videos, brochures, methods and means to help women understand the importance of self-examination. Doctors, on the contrary, said that self-examination does not provide the complete picture.
Breast self-examination is a common and periodic palpation performed by women at the same time each month. Furthermore, self examination must be done by trained woman and is not as easy as mentioned in the leaflets.
According to Dr N. Geetha Nagasree, a surgical oncologist, “Breast self-examination is not recommended currently and is hypothetical. As per a study, there were no benefits from self-examination. It could however result in creating unnecessary alarm and anxiety for non-cancerous problems.”
Doctors suggest that a woman has to be familiar with her own breasts. According to a senior oncologist, “It is important to be ‘breast aware’ so that any unusual change in the breast can be reported to a specialist. This includes lump in the breast, inversion of nipple, blood stained nipple discharge or puckering of skin overlying the breast.”
Breast cancer is now one of the most researched diseases. The ‘gold standard’ guide for physicians does not recommend breast self-examination. Dr Nagasree asked women above the age of 40 to opt for annual mammogram.
