Oprah women report self-exams saved them
Women's responses to the Oprah Magazine story on breast self-examination
lildab3232 : It is so great to hear that so many people found their breast cancer EARLY from a self examination. I also found mine early, but it took me four months to get the nerve to get a Mammogram to confirm it. The scary thing is, if my Mammo did not confirm it, I probably would have denied my findings and my cancer would have spread. As it was, mine was stage 1, Her-2 positive, and did not spread to any lymph node. That's why self exam AND Mammos are both so important!!!
lgeee : I found a lump 2 mths after a clear mamogram - that was in August of 2009......after a month of doctoring and surgery ... I had 8 mths of chemo & radiation......completing June 25 of 2010. I am Triple Negative a very aggressive form of breast cancer --- you know your own body best and I knew something wasn't right and that that area hurt before I ever felt the lump - which when taken out was the size of a ping pong ball. You must be your own best advocate!
couniham : As a certified MammaCare trained nurse, I advise all women to contact MammaCare for more information. You too can get trained to become your own expert. God has given us the tools to find cancers in our own breast- our three middle fingers. Mamma Care will teach each woman to properly use the tools. Breast self exam, if done correctly, will detect early cancers in our breast. Breast self exam, and clinical breast exam should be done in addition to ANNUAL mammograms starting at age 40.
mommypie1 : I found my own cancer and it was stage III. The mammogram did not show it even when it was marked with a metal pellet. I was 37 years old and, that was 6 years ago. Had I not checked myself and been confident enough to insist on followthrough including ultrasound and MRI (both of which showed it) I probably would not be here today. I was treated very aggressively due to my age and the type of cancer. Bottom line is that there is nothing anyone can say that would stop me from doing BSEs or encouraging others to do so. If we don't take care of ourselves and be our own advocates, I am not sure how anyone can help us.
Sherryellen : I cannot even believe this is a topic. YES SELF EXAMS ARE VERY IMPORTANT. I FOUND MY CANCER THAT WAY EVEN THOUGH THE DOC. SAID "NOT CANCER" WRONG, WAS CANCER. Women are being mislead and uninformed. Mamogram is fine but not "GOLD STANDARD". I am a triple negative two year survivor. Where was PINK? Have not seen much in "research" but a lot in fund raising. Where is all this money going? As I said I have triple - cancer I am a woman and there is nothing being done. Someone needs to shed a LIGHT on the travisity we are dying from every day. Too many women, mothers, daughters, sisters, and brothers to be denied all this funding and sales with not much out-reach. What happened to the Army of women? Never heard anything from them eather?? DO NOT LET THIS DROP THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY OF US. We need to be heard!!!!
tbrostad11 : I can't believe that someone would say that self exam's dont make a difference! I believe they make all the difference in the world! I am 33 and found a lump in my breast by doing a self exam. A Mammogram did not show the lump because the breast tissue is so dense, but the Biopsy and ultrasound confirmed what I found myself. Had I not done a self exam it could have been found at stage IV vs. my stage 1. Do the self exams, it doesn't take long but it could save your life!
museindigo : SELF EXAMS ARE VERY IMPORTANT! Senior research scientist Mark Kane Goldstein, PhD said it best in the article above, "Just learning your breast geography is a big part of the process." I am a nurse and was very regular with monthly self exams. Because I knew my "breast geography" I was able to detect a change this May. After further evaluation, it was confirmed that I had a 1.3 cm lump that turned out to be breast cancer. My breast surgeon was STUNNED that I found such a small lump through self exam - but I did and at a very early stage (stage 1). I have no history of breast cancer in the family and got regular mammograms. Saying self exams shouldn't be done because they find more benign tumors is like saying "don't go to the ER if you have chest pain - because it might not be a heart attack." Knowing your body is the best tool to keeping it healthy.
kris0609 : I was so upset when I seen this article, if I had not practiced self exam I may not be here today. In 2008 I found a lump on my left breast, went immediately to the doctor, a mammogram and test were performed that same along with a byopsy. I had stage 2 breast cancer, this would not have been found during a routine mammogram because my tissues are so dense (this was told me to by one of the top breast cancer surgeons in Indiana), I thank each and every doctor that preached self examination to me because it very well may have saved my life. Please never stop and if you don't perform self breast exam please start immediately and put it on schedule for every month, no matter how many reports say there is no reason for it, if your life isn't reason enough for them it should be reason enough for you. I was lucky to find it so quickly and receive the treatment right away, I want each and every woman to be as lucky.
quadu : Yes they do. 10 years ago my mammogram in May was reported fine. In July I found a lump, but kept putting off checking on it - until all the breast cancer awareness stuff in October got me to make an appointment. I learned I had breast cancer - and an aggressive version. After radiation and chemotherapy, I'm happy to report I'm cancer free - but if it wasn't for a self-exam, I'd probably be dead from waiting an additional 10 months for the next mammogram
dclark3750 : I also believe that self-exam is very important. I discovered a hardness in my breast 6 weeks after a normal mammogram. It turned out to be breast cancer and fortunately I caught it fairly early but not early enough because the cancer had already spread to 3 lymph nodes. My cancer has never shown on a mammogram. As my doctor said " you know your own body best". and I did. I am doing very well -a 2 year survivor and I thank God that I performed self exams on a regular basis. All women should continue this practice.
4artessh : Here is what we need to remember: Science/medicine is NOT a democracy. The vast majority of scientist/doctors may hold one opinion to be very true and yet, they may be completely wrong.
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