There are three different approaches you should use, all in conjunction, to detect if you have breast cancer:

  • Breast Self-Examination (BSE): Feeling your breasts on your own.

  • Mammography: An X-ray of your breast. The American Cancer Society recommends yearly screenings for women age 40 and older.

  • Clinical Breast Examination (CBE): When an experienced doctor examines your breasts. Remember: The BSE should be used in combination with mammography and the CBE. In fact, it is controversial whether BSEs alone can actually reduce the incidence of deaths from breast cancer. Women should never use BSEs as a substitute for mammography or CBEs, because while it's really easy to do a BSE, it's also the least precise method.

SoYouWanna know more? Check out our full-length article SYW perform a breast self-examination?