How should women conduct self-examination to fully understand breast health? 3 tricks to teach you self-inspection, may wish to take a look

In 2020, the number of diagnosed breast cancer worldwide has surpassed that of lung cancer, becoming the most common malignant tumor and the most common malignant tumor in women.

　　From a clinical point of view, the breast itself is not an important organ. If breast cancer can be detected at an early stage and treated actively, the five-year survival rate of patients can reach more than 90%.

　　However, because many women do not take breast health seriously, they do not conduct self-examination or regular cancer screening. Moreover, some women have breast hyperplasia in the first place. Even if abnormal breasts are found, it is often difficult to associate breast lesions, which ultimately leaves breast cancer with opportunities to develop.

　　As a result , some breast cancer patients in China have already entered the invasive or metastatic stage when they are diagnosed. In 2020 alone, 120,000 women in China will die from breast cancer.

　　So the question is, how should women examine themselves in order to fully understand breast health?

　　From a clinical point of view, if a woman wants to self-check for breast cancer, the best time to check is actually about a week after the end of menstruation. Because physiological hyperemia of the breast is prone to occur before, during and after menstruation , acinars may proliferate due to hormonal changes, gland ducts expand , and the breast tissue becomes hypertrophic , which in turn affects the test results.

　　Therefore, one week after the end of menstruation is the best time for self-examination. You can conduct self-examination in the following three ways:

　　1. Observe the surface of the breast

　　Women should take off their shirts standing upright in front of the full-length mirror, then keep the room brightly lit and observe the breasts on both sides facing the mirror. This includes whether the shape of the bilateral breasts is symmetrical, whether the shape is abnormal, and whether there are changes in size .

　　If during observation, you find orange peel-like changes in the breast, nipple discharge, retraction of the nipple, dimples on the skin surface, inexplicable breast ulcers and skin desquamation , etc., you should be vigilant;

　　2. Touch check

　　The so-called touch examination, as the name implies, is to palpate the breast. When examining the left breast, you can lift the left upper limb , and then use the index finger, ring finger and middle finger of the right hand to touch the abdomen slowly and steadily. On the side of the breast , check at least three circles from the periphery of the breast to the nipple , not missing any part.

　　At the same time, you also need to check the lymph nodes in the armpit to see if the lymph nodes are swollen , and gently squeeze the nipple with the thumb and index finger to see if there is nipple drainage ;

3. Supine examination

　　In addition to the above two methods, you can also perform a supine examination. That is, lie flat on the bed, lift the upper limb on the side to be examined over the head, put it on a pillow, or use a folded towel under the shoulder to be examined , so that your breast is in a flat state , and then start Touch Check.

Once you find breast lumps, axillary lymph node lumps and other problems 　　during touch , you should be vigilant and seek medical attention immediately for screening.

　　It should be emphasized here that breast cancer self-examination is only a small part. If you have a family history of breast cancer, a history of unmarried infertility, obesity, long-term exposure to ionizing radiation at work, etc., then you belong to the high-risk group of breast cancer.

　　In addition to regular self-examinations, everyone also needs to be vigilant and carry out targeted breast cancer prevention screenings on a regular basis as recommended by doctors, so as not to miss the best time for breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.