How do you detect breast cancer at home? ?

Question

I'm 17 ..turning 18 in a few months ! I read somewhere that when you have breast cancer, you feel a 'lump under your arm' and u feel something stony or mass like? I felt the mass like thing (in my breast actually.) and wanted to know if I have anything to be afraid of?

Answer 1

You don't and can't detect breast cancer at home. You cannot possibly self-diagnose; even doctors, including cancer specialists, can't tell until the appropriate tests have been done.

Please be aware that at your age you are very, very unlikely to have breast cancer. Breast cancer is mainly a disease of ageing; 80% of those diagnosed with it are over 50, it's rare in women under 40 and almost unheard of in under 25s.

The American Cancer Society and other cancer organisations recommend that women start regular breast self-examination at the age of 20 - there's a reason for that.

What you describe may well be hormonal. It may be a swollen lymph node which can simply be a sign of infection - even an infection you didn't know you had.

Most breast lumps, even in women over 50, are not cancerous.

There isn't a hard and fast rule about where cancerous breast lumps are, or how they feel. Mine  was egg-shaped and smooth; my friend described hers as feeling like a long string bean.

Don't try to self-diagnose; if it doesn't go away in a week or two, go and see your doctor - just because it's unlikely to be cancer doesn't mean it doesn't need to be investigated. At least one person here has suggested you should have a mammogram; you won't. No doctor is likely to order a mammogram on someone your age; young women's breast tissue is too dense for a mammogram to be a useful diagnostic tool. It is likely that your GP will be able to reassure you without any tests needing to be done anyway.

Answer 2

Get it checked out, but it is more likely a swollen lymph node, from your body fighting off an infection; or a benign growth like a cyst. But you can never be sure. But at your age breast cancer is very unusual. But it's better to go to the doctor and find it is "nothing" than have it be "something" and grow. Never be embarrassed to go to a doctor and find out it is "nothing". And worrying about it does not help. But it's good to keep checking and get into the habit for when you are older and a lump would be more likely to be something serious. But self-exam just can detect a lump, it can not diagnose what the lump is.  

Answer 3

youre so young that its very unlikely.  it could be a lymph node or something.  though if it really is in your breast like you say i dunno.  

Answer 4

You should be giving yourself regular breast examinations because all women have some normal lumps in their b*****s.  However, since you don't know if this lump is normal or not you NEED to go to the doctor to be safe

Answer 5

How to Examine Your b*****s in your home ? follow this.

    * Lie down and place your right arm behind your head. The exam is done while lying down, and not standing up. This is because when lying down the breast tissue spreads evenly over the chest wall and it is as thin as possible, making it much easier to feel all the breast tissue. In such a state any abnormality will be noticed easily.

    * Use the finger pads of the three middle fingers on your left hand to feel for lumps in the right breast. Use overlapping dime-sized circular motions of the finger pads to feel the breast tissue.

    * Use 3 different levels of pressure to feel all the breast tissue. Light pressure is needed to feel the tissue closest to the skin; medium pressure to feel a little deeper; and firm pressure to feel the tissue closest to the chest and ribs. A firm ridge in the lower curve of each breast is normal. If you’re not sure how hard to press, talk with your doctor or nurse. Use each pressure level to feel the breast tissue before moving on to the next spot.

    * Move around the breast in an up and down pattern starting at an imaginary line drawn straight down your side from the underarm and moving across the breast to the middle of the chest bone.(sternum or breastbone). Be sure to check the entire area.

      Breast area going down until you feel only ribs and up to the neck or collar bone (clavicle).

    * There is some evidence to suggest that the up and down pattern (sometimes called the vertical pattern) is the most effective pattern for covering the entire breast without missing any breast tissue.

    * Repeat the exam on your left breast, using the finger pads of the right hand.

    * While standing in front of a mirror with your hands pressing firmly down on your hips, look at your b*****s for any changes of size, shape, contour, dimpling, or redness or scaliness of the nipple or breast skin. (The pressing down on the hips position contracts the chest wall muscles and enhances any breast changes.)

    * Examine each underarm and armpits while sitting up or standing and with your arm only slightly raised so you can easily feel in this area. Raising your arm fully straight up tightens the tissue in this area and makes it difficult to examine.

This procedure for doing breast self-exam is different than previous procedure recommendations. These changes represent an extensive review of the medical literature and input from an expert advisory group. There is evidence that the woman's position (lying down), area felt, pattern of coverage of the breast, and use of different amounts of pressure increase the sensitivity of BSE as measured with silicone models

If you find any changes, see your health care provider right away. My best wishes to all-

For further details please see my blog in Yahoo 360 on this subject under link-http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-wHph4Fg7e...

Answer 6

There are plenty of self examination techniques on the web, just look for them.  

Answer 7

You can do a proper self examination by going to this site, which will help you do it correctly and tell you what to look for:  http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/tes...

Also, you can see you primary care physician and let him or her know you would like a mammogram.  If they feel something strange they'll let you know.  Don't get worked up until a doctor finds something odd.  The breast has lost of tissue and muscle that may feel odd to you, but maybe normal.

Answer 8

you cannot just detect breast cancer at home... =)

it will be thru biopsy of a tissue from a lump in you breast that you can say that you have breast cancer.

lumps in the breast may be from a benign tumor. breast cancer is from a malignant tumor.

however you can examine your breast for lumps at home. you do this every month like probably 7-10 days after your first day of menstruation.

you do this standing in front of a mirror with one arm folded up and towards the back and start palpating in circular motions with your free hand (using the pads of your fingers) from the nipple then outwards until you cover the entire breast. include too the area in your armpit. do the same thing on your other breast.

DO NOT DO THIS close to your menstruation or during the first few days of your menstrual flow... you may feel some hard portions in your breast on this period... =)

Answer 9

get it checked out at your gp asap, dont be afraid it may be a cyst i think its called but dont take chances as for the other bloke you can get it at your ages definatly get it seen to early and its treatable