{"id":16455,"date":"2026-03-10T07:00:45","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T07:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=16455"},"modified":"2026-03-10T23:43:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T23:43:17","slug":"breast-self-awareness-the-importance-of-knowing-whats-normal-for-your-breasts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/breast-self-awareness-the-importance-of-knowing-whats-normal-for-your-breasts\/","title":{"rendered":"Breast self-awareness: The importance of knowing what\u2019s normal for your breasts","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

What\u2019s the best at-home routine to catch breast cancer early? The one you will actually do.<\/p>\n

That means you can toss the breast self-exam shower hanger that\u2019s collecting mildew in your shower. As it turns out, a less formal \u201cbreast self-awareness\u201d habit is just as good at catching breast cancers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span>Two<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0large, randomized studies compared women who were instructed in breast self-exam techniques to those who were not. Both groups had self-detected breast cancers, but there was no di<\/span><\/span><\/span>fference in deaths from breast cancer. One of the downsides to women in the breast self-exam group was twice as many biopsies that returned benign findings,\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/span>says R. Morgan Steele, DNP, ARNP<\/a>, a breast surgical specialist with MultiCare Cancer Institute<\/a>. \u201cThe women who were trained in breast self-exams did not find more cancers.\u201d<\/p>\n

That doesn\u2019t mean you don\u2019t have to examine your breasts, though.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt means you no longer have to do it a specific way,\u201d Steele says.<\/p>\n

The key is to spot variations from what’s normal for you.<\/p>\n

\u201cBreast awareness is knowing what\u2019s normal for you,\u201d she advises. \u201cEvery woman should know \u2018This is what my breast should look or feel like.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

And if you see or feel a change, call your doctor or other health care provider right away. Too often, people postpone making that call.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt might be scary,\u201d Steele acknowledges. \u201cBut once we know what\u2019s going on, we usually have things we can do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Steele says the providers at MultiCare Cancer Institute have their own fears.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe scariest thing for us is when a woman comes in and says, \u2018I noticed this a couple of months ago but didn\u2019t say anything,\u2019\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Breast self-awareness 101<\/h2>\n