According to Cochrane Collaboration, there is no evidence that monthly self exams reduce breast cancer deaths. This article in U.S. News & World Report then asks the question: What should you do then? While checking yourself regularly may not help according to the new findings, experts say if you do feel something unusual, get it checked out. The report also is not suggesting that self exams are bad, just that it's not correcting the breast cancer problem. It's not surprising, however, that some doctors still feel that self breast exams are helpful. The bottom line according to the article is that if you are currently conduction your own regular exams, you don't need to stop, but know it might not be as effective as once thought. And if you're not a regular self-examiner, you don't have to feel guilty about it.

Labels: advice, health, study, women