Breast self-examination: self-reported frequency, quality, and associated outcomes

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Preventive Medicine
• Women's Health

Background:

• Limited data exists on the quality of breast self-examination (BSE) and its impact on health outcomes.
• Understanding BSE quality is crucial for evaluating its role in breast cancer detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the quality of breast self-examination (BSE) practices among a large cohort of women.
• To investigate the association between BSE quality and subsequent breast cancer screening and diagnostic procedures.
• To determine if BSE performance is linked to breast cancer diagnosis, tumor characteristics, or stage at diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective cohort study involved 27,421 women from a Pacific Northwest health plan.
• Data on BSE quality was collected via questionnaire and linked to screening and diagnostic records.
• Statistical analysis examined correlations between BSE behavior, mammography, and breast cancer diagnosis.

Main Results:

• 75% of women reported performing BSE, with only 27% demonstrating adequate quality.
• Higher duration, frequency, and quality of BSE were associated with increased likelihood of diagnostic mammograms.
• Women diagnosed with breast cancer (N=300) were less likely to report performing BSE.
• BSE behavior showed no association with tumor size or stage at diagnosis.

Conclusions:

• While many women practice BSE, the quality is often inadequate, limiting potential benefits.
• The study found no evidence to support the benefit of BSE in breast cancer detection.
• Re-evaluation of systematic BSE promotion is warranted given the lack of demonstrated efficacy.