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" With many lumps detected by women themselves, it&amp;#039;s vital that women check their breasts on a regular basis. And as October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, there&amp;#039;s never been a better time to start. What&amp;#039;s the best way to check breasts? Advice about the best way to check your own breasts differs from country to country. While US experts recommend systematically checking your breasts on the same day of your monthly cycle and noting any changes in a diary, a recent review of clinical studies found no evidence that such rigorous examinations are effective. They can also lead to unnecessary biopsies. Experts in the UK agree: &amp;#039;We don&amp;#039;t recommend a specific time for women to check their breasts or tell them there&amp;#039;s a prescriptive way to do it because this can increase women&amp;#039;s anxiety,&amp;#039; says Dr Emma Pennery, Clinical Director at Breast Cancer Care. &amp;#039;Instead, we encourage people to be &amp;#039;breast aware&amp;#039; \u2013 getting to know what is normal for you, so you can spot any unusual changes quickly. &amp;#039;Checking your breasts can be built into your daily routine, when you&amp;#039;re in the shower, lying down in bed or getting dressed. This way, you become familiar with your breasts and what feels right for you.&amp;#039; What am I looking for? &amp;#039;Your breasts may change with age and life events, for example if you&amp;#039;re pregnant or breast feeding or after you have gone through the menopause,&amp;#039; says Pennery.  &amp;#039;If you still have periods, then changes at different points in your monthly cycle are perfectly normal too. Breasts can often be more tender, swollen and lumpy before your period then settle down again after. But it&amp;#039;s important that you know what&amp;#039;s normal for you, so you can spot any unusual or persistent changes.&amp;#039;  So what are you looking for?   Changes in size, although most women naturally have one breast larger than the other. A change in the positioning \u2013 if one breast suddenly appears lower than normal. Nipple changes, for example a persistent nipple rash, sudden inverted nipple, discharge or any change in position or shape. Pain in the breast or armpit that doesn&amp;#039;t go away and that isn&amp;#039;t linked to your period. A new lump or increased lumpiness or thickening in the breast or armpit that feels different or doesn&amp;#039;t go away during your cycle. Skin changes such as puckering, dimpling, inflammation or redness.  Breast checking devices There are now a range of products on the market that claim to help women detect lumps in their breasts.  Some women may choose to use these as an accessory to their existing breast awareness practices, while others may prefer to rely on familiarity with their bodies when looking for changes to their breasts.  &amp;#039;It&amp;#039;s important to stress that none of these products are diagnostic tools and should not be used as a substitute for mammogram screening or as a replacement for general breast awareness,&amp;#039; said Pennery.  &amp;#039;Regardless of the way that women chose to be breast aware, it&amp;#039;s important that they understand the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, which can include \u2013 but are not limited to \u2013 lumps, and that they report any unusual changes direct to their GP, as well as attending routine breast screening appointments once they are eligible.&amp;#039;  What if I find something? Make an appointment to see your GP without delay. &amp;#039;Remember that you&amp;#039;re not wasting anyone&amp;#039;s time. Your GP will check your breasts and might refer you to a specialist breast clinic to have further tests \u2013 such as a mammogram, ultrasound or biopsy ,&amp;#039; says Pennery.  &amp;#039;Even then, most women \u2013 about 9 out of 10 \u2013 won&amp;#039;t be found to have breast cancer.&amp;#039;  Breast awareness five point code  You should know what is normal for you.  Know what changes to look for.  Look and feel. Tell your GP about any changes straightaway.  Go for breast screening when invited.  From Breast Cancer Care Further information  Breast cancer: latest developments   Based on a text by Gabrielle Collett-White, health journalist  Last updated 22.10.2009 "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/conditions/cancer/a11616/breast-awareness/>