Do It Yourself: Self-Exams Can Help

Various organizations urge women to familiarize themselves with their breasts and conduct somewhat routine self-exams so they can uncover any lumps or other issues that may warrant further examination by a physician. Though self-exams can lead to discovery of breast cancer when the disease is most treatable, the World Health Organization notes that as many as 90 percent of breast masses are not cancerous. Non-cancerous abnormalities may be benign masses such as fibroadenoma and cysts or indicative of infection. It’s also important that women recognize that breast cancer is not always accompanied by a lump. In fact, the Mayo Clinic reports that many women with breast cancer never experience any signs or symptoms of the disease. In such instances, the disease is discovered during screening tests, which include mammograms.