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Why Women Need More Than That Monthly Check

Posted on: Monday, 23 May 2005, 18:00 CDT

WOMEN should not rely on monthly self- examination alone in the battle against breast cancer, an expert warned yesterday.

Instead, they should become more 'breast aware' so they immediately notice any changes, lumps or abnormalities without the need for specific checks at set times.

Professor Michael Baum, who helped set up the national screening programme, said simply carrying out routine checks each month could lead to false alarms as women may detect a large number of benign lumps.

As a result many risk unnecessary and traumatic treatment, including surgery, he said.

'There is an intuitive belief that regular breast cancer self- examination will prevent women dying of cancer,' said Professor Baum, emeritus professor of surgery at University College London.

'But it is bad for you. It is a futile exercise. Women who do it have double the number of unnecessary biopsies and no difference in breast cancer mortality rates.

'Even with women who practise it more often than not, if they find a cancer it's by chance between examinations. Being breast aware means being aware that there is something different in your body.

'Women should be sensible if they do become aware by chance of a change and have it checked out.' Changes to look out for include unusual pain, nipple discharge, dimpling of the skin and lumps which are new and not related to the menstrual cycle.

There are concerns that more younger women, spurred on by Kylie Minogue's cancer diagnosis, could start self-examination without understanding the importance of always being aware of any changes in their breasts. Figures from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine show the number of women under 40 diagnosed with breast cancer jumped by 57 per cent between 1975 and 2001.

This compares with a 16 per cent increase for those in their 40s and a massive 90 per cent rise for those aged 50 to 64.

But while cases continue to rise, with 41,000 women diagnosed every year, death rates have fallen by a fifth in the last ten years thanks to earlier detection and better treatment.

Professor Baum said his views were supported by other experts and proven by clinical studies.

One study of more than 250,000 women found no difference in breast cancer death rates over a decade between those taught to carry out monthly self-examination and others given no such information.

However, those who regularly checked themselves did find more benign breast lesions in every year.

A spokesman for the charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer supported the suggestion that women opt for better awareness of their breasts rather than relying on routine self examination.

The Department of Health said it also promoted breast awareness rather than ' ritualistic monthly self-examination'.

FIVE rules for survival:

Know what is normal for you

Look and feel for changes

Know what changes to look for

Report any changes without delay

Attend screening if 50 or over

Source: Daily Mail; London (UK)

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