checking for breast lumps
by Jenny Bryan
All women are advised to be breast aware, whatever their age. It's essential to get any lumps you find checked out by an expert.
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be breast aware
If you're a teenager or a young woman in your 20s or 30s, do remember that breast cancer is very rare at your age. If you have a lump, it's much more likely to be a cyst or a fibroadenoma. But that doesn't mean you should ignore it; any lump needs checking out.
Nikki West advises checking breasts for lumps every month, about a week after a period. A lot of women feel comfortable checking their breasts when they have a bath.
'You can sit up in the bath and feel each breast with the opposite hand. Feel under your arms too. Look in the mirror for changes in shape, colour or size, and put both arms above your head to see if there's any puckering of the skin,' says Nikki.
You can find out more about how to examine your breasts from one of the organisations or websites below. If you're breast aware now, then if you, your partner or anyone else sees any changes in the way your breasts look or feel in the future you'll know that you need to see your doctor straight away.
(December 2002, resources updated January 2005)
