Useless Breast Cancer Self-Exams?

Study: Mammogram Is More Effective In Detecting Most Breast Cancers

(CBS)  There are new guidelines for women from the American Cancer Society when it comes to screening for breast cancer.

The Early Show medical correspondent Dr. Emily Senay says the biggest change in the guidelines is a de-emphasis on performing a breast cancer self-exam.

It used to be recommended a woman perform a self-exam once a month, but research has shown there is not enough evidence that performing a monthly self-exam is as useful as other screening methods.

The new guidelines recommend a clinical breast exam by a doctor every three years for women aged 20 to 39. It also recommends a clinical breast exam, as well as a mammogram, every year for women 40 and older.

A woman should continue with the screening schedule throughout her old age, since the risk of cancer goes up with age, according to the research.

Dr. Senay says there may be less emphasis on the breast self-exam because women who detect it may already be victims of a spreading cancer.
A mammogram can detect a suspicious mass much earlier than a self-exam says the American Cancer Society. The new recommendations say women in their 20s should be informed about the benefits and the limitations of breast self-exams, and told that it's okay for women to choose to perform them occasionally or not to perform them at all.

For women at high risk from factors including genetic predisposition, family history or a personal history of disease, the guidelines suggest evaluation for screening much earlier in life. They also suggest using other screening techniques, such as ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in addition to a mammogram.

Women at high risk should talk to their doctor about a timetable for screening.

Dr. Senay says there has been some largely academic controversy between scientists and researchers about whether mammograms prevent breast cancer deaths in the long run. She says these arguments may have confused some women as to whether or not a mammogram is still recommended.

The American Cancer Society re-emphasizes in its reports that mammograms are effective in detecting the majority of breast cancer. Mammograms are relatively low-cost and easy-to-administer in comparison to other methods, says Dr. Senay. Although in some cases the test may miss some cancers or may result in unnecessary biopsies to rule out cancer. The bottom line, says Dr. Senay, is that mammograms still remains the most important tool we have to detect breast cancer in the general population.

Dr. Senay notes that there is no harm of self-breast examination, but a mammogram may be the safest bet for women.