One in seven women is affected by breast cancer during her lifetime. While it is true that breast cancer occurs most frequently in women older than sixty, there are many younger people, and even men, who are affected by this devastating condition. One of the most important health screenings that a woman can perform is a monthly self breast examination. This examination is not complicated, but knowing the appropriate steps can be lifesaving.

To start, find a location where you will be comfortable, whether lying down or in the shower. Raise one arm above your head, and use the pads of the fingers of the opposite hand to first feel two areas in which lymph nodes may become enlarged when breast-cancer spreads: the armpit and the area just above the collar bone. Lymph nodes typically feel like rubbery pebbles. It is important to note that if several lymph nodes become enlarged in the armpit area, you may not feel individual lymph nodes, but instead feel like the armpit is swollen.

Next, check for lumps in the breast tissue. It is important to understand that the borders of the breast go from the sternum (breastbone) to the back of the armpit, and from the lower visible border of the breast all the way up to the collar bone and out to the shoulder. If the breast was divided into four quadrants, most breast cancer tends to occur in the upper, outer quadrant. This is an area that is frequently missed during self breast examinations. Again using the pads of the fingers of the opposite hand, move in an up-and-down pattern throughout this entire area, then switch and check the other breast.

It is also important to check the skin of the breast for changes, such as abnormal dimpling, which may occur when a breast cancer pulls the skin inward. A rash with thickened skin and pitting of the skin (like the outside of an orange peel) is the hallmark of a one form of breast cancer. Finally, inspect for nipple discharge by gentle squeezing this area of the breast. Notify your physician if this manuever produces a discharge, especially if it is from a single breast or is bloody, as these may be signs of malignancy.

Self breast examination should be done monthly, and a clinical breast exam should be performed by a trained medical professional once a year. In addition, a yearly mammogram is recommended for all women beginning at age forty. This screening mammogram may be started at an earlier age in a woman who has a first degree relative who has had breast cancer. Make sure that your health care provider knows your complete family history, so that appropriate recommendations can be made.