Lions and Tigers and Breast Cancer, Oh My!
October, the start of spooky season and fall festivities, is also National Breast Cancer Awareness month, a topic that we at The Edge take to heart and take seriously. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in America, according to the American Cancer Society, who is estimating that in 2021 alone there will be approximately 281,550 new diagnosed cases of breast cancer in America. That is a terrifyingly high number, however, in most cases, the survival rate is close to 100% and increases with early detection and treatment.
So how can you be proactive and take agency over your health and wellness? In addition to your regularly scheduled physician’s appointments, perform a breast self-exam once a month. While mammograms are the most effective testing measure, they are typically reserved for women in the 40 to 50-year-old range. This leaves young women in the dark without testing options readily available, so the best and easiest way to stay on top of your health is to perform frequent self-exams. Doing this regularly will set a baseline so if abnormalities ever appear on your body, you are aware and can describe the difference between your previously examined normal breasts and the current difference. This will make detection and treatment a more efficient, streamlined process.
A key tip is to make sure that you self-examine at the same time each month. Cis-females experience a menstrual cycle that can affect the texture and size of the breast tissue. Examining on a month-to-month basis across several different stages of this cycle will produce different results, so examinees should be aware of this and make an effort to test on the same day of the month. The at-home exam we love is a simple four-step process from Boolbol.
Step 1
Look in the mirror for visual inconsistencies or abnormalities. Then, take a close look at the appearance, location and size of the nipples and breasts. Are your nipples inverted or everted? Neither is abnormal on its own, but a cause for concern would be a change from inverted to everted or vice versa. Is one breast larger than the other or have you noticed any other sudden changes in breast size or shape? Is the skin around and on the breasts similar to that of the rest of the body or is it bumpy or even red? If anything raises a red flag, contact your healthcare provider and request an appointment for a professional to take a look.
Step 2
The visual examination continues… this time lift your arms. Does the lifting motion of the arms cause anything to change about the breast? Is any skin being uncomfortably stretched? Are any masses revealed that may have been hiding in the armpit and side breast region?
Step 3
Begin your physical exam. Examine the right breast with the left arm and the left breast with the right arm. The touch should be light, and not pain-inducing. Think of the breast as a clock. Starting at 12 o’clock, work clockwise in a slow, circular motion around the breast feeling for any abnormal lumps, bruises or sensitive spots. If any are detected, contact your healthcare provider.
Step 4
Lastly, continue the physical exam from a different pose or angle. This will give you another perspective to see and feel if anything is off to you.
Self-exams are an extremely valuable tool for young women and should not be overlooked. If at any point during an exam you feel or see something out of the ordinary, be sure to seek professional medical help and stay calm. Though Breast Cancer is a serious matter, it is crucial to understand that exercises like these are part of early detection which can prevent the development of more invasive strains of cancer from developing. Exams are a practice that can quite literally save your life. So this autumn, fall into the habit of monthly self-exams and save the boo-bies.