Early Detection Saves Lives!

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, but it can be successfully treated. The key? Early detection. Three basic screening methods are used to look for breast cancer.

Breast Self-Exam once a year beginning at age 20	Clinical Exam at least once every three years beginning at age 20 and once a year beginning at age 40	Mammogram once a year beginning at age 40*

Breast Self Exam (BSE)

As part of the three-step breast health approach, Susan G. Komen for the Cure recommends that beginning by age 20, women become familiar with the look and feel of their breasts through monthly breast self-exams (BSE). BSE should be done regularly at the same time every month. Regular BSE should be practiced throughout a woman's life, even during pregnancy and after menopause.

To learn how to look and feel for changes in your breast, please click here and choose the English or Spanish version.

Did you know? The best time to perform your monthly breast self-exam is just as your period is ending, or approximately 10 days after the start of your period.

Breast Self-Exam (BSE) Card
Komen for the Cure offers a variety of BSE cards in different languages and for specific populations. For a free BSE card, please contact info@sakomen.net or call 210-222-9009. Please include your name and complete address.

If you would like to purchase any of these BSE cards in bulk quantities, please visit the Marketplace on www.komen.org or contact 1-877-SGK-SHOP (1-877-745-7467) Monday through Friday, 8AM-5PM, CST.

You can also download and print BSE cards for yourself. To download BSE cards, click here.


Clinical Breast Exam

A breast exam by a health care provider should be part of your regular medical checkup. A clinical breast exam includes a visual examination and carefully feeling the entire breast and underarm area.

Between the ages of 20 and 39, women should have a clinical breast examination by a health professional every three years. After age 40, women should have a breast examination by a health professional every year.


Mammogram

A mammogram is an x-ray picture of a breast. It is done with a special x-ray machine designed for this purpose. A mammogram can find many cancers before they can be felt. It is recommended that by age 40, women should have a screening mammogram every year.

*Women under age 40 with either a family history of breast cancer or other concerns about their personal risk should talk with her health care provider about when to start getting mammograms and how often to have them.
 

To learn more information about early detection and screening, please click here.