If you are a woman, your breasts will change in size and shape at different times in your life and during the menstrual cycle. Knowing what your breasts feel like at different times of the month can help you notice any changes.

Be breast aware

Early detection of breast cancer can save lives. Follow the five point code:

1. know what is normal for you
2. look at and feel your breasts
3. know what changes to look for
4. report any changes without delay
5. go for breast screening if you are 50 or over

Check your breasts in a way that's comfortable for you, perhaps in the bath or shower.

Changes to look out for

It is often women themselves who first notice their breast cancer. Look for:

• changes in the size, shape or feel of your breasts
• a new lump or thickening in one breast or armpit
• puckering, dimpling or redness of the skin
• changes in the position of the nipple or nipple discharge
• new pain or discomfort that is only on one side.

There may be many reasons for the change other than breast cancer. But report anything unusual to your doctor straight away.

How to Perform a Breast Self-Examination (BSE)

1. Stand in front of a mirror that is large enough for you to see your breasts clearly. Check each breast for anything unusual. Check the skin for puckering, dimpling, or scaliness. Look for a discharge from the nipples.

2. Watching closely in the mirror, clasp your hands behind your head and press your hands forward.

3. Next, press your hands firmly on your hips and bend slightly toward the mirror as you pull your shoulders and elbows forward.

Do steps 2 and 3 to check for any change in the shape or contour of your breasts. As you do these steps, you should feel your chest muscles tighten.

4. Gently squeeze each nipple and look for a discharge.

5. The breasts are best examined while lying down because it spreads the breast tissue evenly over the chest. Lie flat on your back, with one arm over your head and a pillow or folded towel under the shoulder. This position flattens the breast and makes it easier to check.

Use the pads of the fingers of your other hand to check the breast and the surrounding area firmly, carefully, and thoroughly. Some women like to use lotion or powder to help their fingers glide easily over the skin. Feel for any unusual lump or mass under the skin. Feel the tissue by pressing your fingers in small, overlapping areas about the size of a dime. To be sure you cover the whole breast, take your time and follow a definite pattern:  lines, circles, or wedges.

Many women do BSE more thoroughly when they use a pattern of up-and-down lines or strips. Other women feel more comfortable with another pattern. The important thing is to cover the whole breast and to pay special attention to the area between the breast and the underarm, including the underarm itself. Check the area above the breast, up to the collarbone, and all the way over to your shoulder.

Use three different levels of pressure to examine your breasts:

• light pressure - to examine the tissue closest to the skin
• medium pressure - to feel a little deeper
• firm pressure - to feel deeper tissue closer to the chest wall

6. Some women repeat step 5 in the shower. Your fingers will glide easily over soapy skin, so you can concentrate on feeling for changes underneath.

One of the most important reasons to perform regular breast self-examination is so that you know what is normal for your breasts. Remember that there may be many reasons for the change other than breast cancer. But report anything unusual to your doctor straight away.

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