There are several ways to examine the breast to discover lumps.
Women detect most lumps in their breasts themselves by performing breast self exams (BSE). Performing regular self exams will familiarize you with how your breasts feel normally so you will be able to more easily recognize changes.
» Breast Self Examination
Breast cancer remains the most common cancer in women, other than skin cancer, and the second leading cause of cancer death. Mammography is the only screening tool which has proven to decrease death from breast cancer. Mammography helps find breast cancer at the earliest, most curable stages. Screening mammograms are therefore recommended yearly for women over the age of 40 in the general population.
» Breast MRI
After heart disease and lung cancer, breast cancer kills more women than any other disease. This year, it will claim about 40,000 lives. The key to surviving breast cancer is early detection and the only way to ensure early detection is to see a doctor regularly, and follow guidelines established by the American Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute for mammography screening.