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Experts Debate Usefulness of Breast Self-Exams
July 17, 2008 04:29 PM
Researchers say that the commonly recommended breast cancer screening tool may not save women’s lives, and may even do more harm than good.
30-Second Summary
The Cochrane Collaboration conducted trials in which almost 400,000 women were split up into two groups: one group was instructed to conduct breast exams regularly, while the other group was not.
Of the 587 study participants who died of breast cancer during the course of the study, 292 of them had regularly performed the breast exams and 295 had not, “a minuscule difference that suggests there is no benefit from self-checks,” Time magazine reports.
The report referenced in the Time article goes further by warning that breast exams may actually do harm, as they put women at risk for unnecessary treatment, such as biopsies.
Another recent study showed that other breast cancer detection methods, particularly M.R.I.s, may be prompting more women to have their entire breast removed, sometimes unnecessarily.
But some doctors say that early breast cancer detection in the form of self-exams helps save women’s lives.
“Recommending that women not perform breast self-examinations could seriously endanger women’s health and lead to later detection of cancers in some women,” says Dr. Marisa Weiss, founder and president of Breastcancer.org.
American Cancer Society recommendation that women consider performing self-exams starting in their 20s—are unlikely to change. But while researchers and doctors argue over the new study, women are left with uncertain advice when it comes to self-screening.
“I guess it’s one less thing that I need to be doing, but it is a little confusing,” said 29-year-old Liz Lane to MSNBC. “Now I’m not sure what I am supposed to do to check myself.”
Of the 587 study participants who died of breast cancer during the course of the study, 292 of them had regularly performed the breast exams and 295 had not, “a minuscule difference that suggests there is no benefit from self-checks,” Time magazine reports.
The report referenced in the Time article goes further by warning that breast exams may actually do harm, as they put women at risk for unnecessary treatment, such as biopsies.
Another recent study showed that other breast cancer detection methods, particularly M.R.I.s, may be prompting more women to have their entire breast removed, sometimes unnecessarily.
But some doctors say that early breast cancer detection in the form of self-exams helps save women’s lives.
“Recommending that women not perform breast self-examinations could seriously endanger women’s health and lead to later detection of cancers in some women,” says Dr. Marisa Weiss, founder and president of Breastcancer.org.
American Cancer Society recommendation that women consider performing self-exams starting in their 20s—are unlikely to change. But while researchers and doctors argue over the new study, women are left with uncertain advice when it comes to self-screening.
“I guess it’s one less thing that I need to be doing, but it is a little confusing,” said 29-year-old Liz Lane to MSNBC. “Now I’m not sure what I am supposed to do to check myself.”
Headline Links: New study questions breast self-exams
In the study, women who performed breast self-exams underwent 3,406 biopsies with benign results, nearly twice as many as the women in control groups who did not perform the exams.
Source: Time
Doctors have differing opinions. “I have many patients who confess that doing a breast self exam increases their anxiety considerably. Some of the smartest and most reasonable ones decided long ago to stop examining their breasts,” said Dr. David Euhus of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. But Lillie Shockney, at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, stresses the importance of self-exams. “If we tell them, ‘don’t check your breasts,’ we are promoting more fear of breast cancer than ever,” said Shockney. “Not logical.”
Source: ABC News
Opinion & Analysis: New guidelines mean relief to some
“Like many women, I’ve felt guilty about my slipshod breast exams for years. … So it was with a certain amount of relief that I read a new analysis confirming that the breast self-exam (or BSE) truly doesn’t make much of a difference after all,” writes Diana Mapes for MSNBC.
Source: MSNBC
Related Topic: M.R.I.s may lead to unnecessary mastectomies
A study conducted by the American Society of Clinical Oncology followed more than 5,400 women who had surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., from 1997 to 2006, and found that the number of mastectomies rose sharply beginning in 2003. One of the study’s authors speculated that one reason for the rise was the increasing use of M.R.I. scans beginning around 2003.
Source: findingDulcinea
Reference: Breast cancer information and prevention
The findingDulcinea Web Guide to Breast Cancer provides the best resources for breast cancer information and coping with cancer, as well as breast cancer forums.
Source: findingDulcinea
The American Cancer Society outlines detection methods for breast cancer on its Web site. “Breast self exam (BSE) is an option for women starting in their 20s. Women should be told about the benefits and limitations of BSE,” according to the site.
Source: American Cancer Society
Nonprofit group Breastcancer.org states on its Web site that “Examining your breasts is an important way to find a breast cancer early, when it’s most likely to be cured.”
Source: Breastcancer.org
© 2009 Dulcinea Media, Inc.
