My editor put me and a co-worker in charge of "Breast Cancer Awareness" stories to run each Saturday this month. I made mention of the "feel your boobies" campaign that is growing in popularity now. I love how the story turned out! (Even though I probably blushed a couple of times while writing it and I may have a new male readership fan base). Never the less, the message needs to be said. Read my story (below) or read it on our website and then ladies, feel your boobies!
Breast self-exams ‘vital’ for women in teens to 30s
By Amy Kelly
Published: Saturday, October 25, 2008
One of the newest breast cancer campaigns encourages women to “feel your boobies.” The campaign is not trying to encourage promiscuity; it is trying to promote breast self-exams for women because early detection is the best way to overcome breast cancer.
Although the campaign’s message is important for women of all ages, it is especially vital for women in their teens, 20s and 30s — the years before mammograms are generally performed.
Carolyn Bass, mammography technologist with Sampson Regional Medical Center, said that monthly self exams are really the best way for women under age 40 to detect breast health problems. Although mammograms can be done on younger women, there are no state or federal regulations for mammograms for women in their teens, 20s and early 30s, Bass noted. Self exams and clinical breast exams — exams performed by a health professional — are important when done regularly because any physical changes in the breast can be an early sign of a problem, Bass commented, and “your chances and prognosis is better the earlier a problem is detected.”
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), only five percent of all breast cancer cases occur in women under 40 years old; however, there are more than 250,000 women who were diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 40 or under living in the U.S,. and every year more than 11,100 more are diagnosed. Therefore, women in their teens, 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam as part of a regular health exam. In addition to annual physicals and clinical breast exams, ACS recommends self exams monthly. Women should review their breast self exam technique with a health professional during their physical exam.
The Young Survival Coalition focuses on breast cancer concerns for women under age 40. The coalition encourages women to “become familiar with their breasts: their shape, size and what they feel like. Learn what is normal for you.” Any changes such as swelling, irritation, nipple retraction, rash, unusual pain, redness or scaliness, or spontaneous discharge from the nipple should be immediately reported to a doctor. The theory goes, when you know what is normal, it will be much easier to notice abnormalities.
ACS research finds that some women feel most comfortable doing a breast self exam by following a systematic step-by-step approach, looking at and feeling one’s breasts. Other women have difficulty with the step-by-step approach and prefer to just check while showering or getting dressed. Here is where the “feel your boobies” campaign comes in.
According to the campaign’s website, www.feelyourboobies.com, “research shows that ‘feeling your boobies’ is just as effective at identifying changes or lumps as doing a formal self breast exam.” The campaign wants to empower women to take charge of their breast health and not to be ashamed. The website states, “Why Feel Your Boobies®? Because you do it everyday anyway, right? Oh come on…sure you do! You take a shower, you feel your boobies. You get dressed, you feel your boobies. Since you know your body better than anyone else does, why not just take a little extra time to really ‘feel your boobies.’ Give those ‘girls’ the attention they deserve. After all, getting in the habit of knowing what’s normal for you increases the chance of noticing changes in your breasts if they occur. If a change does occur it’s important to tell a doctor or clinician immediately so they can determine if more tests are necessary.”
As research continues, hopefully the cause of breast cancer will be discovered which will lead to new means of detection and treatment. Until then, women, do self exams and “feel your boobies” for it may save your life.
1 comment:
Thanks for bringing attention to a cancer that affects young people. Unfortunately, especially when involving the breasts or genitals, young people delay seeking care and then they have bad outcomes. If you notice abnormalities, seek medical attention immediately.
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