WHAT HAPPENS DURING A BREAST CANCER SCREENING?

There are two parts to your breast cancer screening. The first part is called a Clinical Breast Exam, and should be done every year. The second part of your screening is called a mammogram. If you're age 50 or older, this should be done every year as well.

Part One: Your Clinical Breast Exam.
Your health care provider performs a Clinical Breast Exam (or CBE) to look and feel for anything abnormal in your breasts and the area surrounding them. During a CBE, your health care provider will look for any differences in size or shape between your breasts and will also check your skin for any rashes or dimpling you may be experiencing, as well as for any other signs that something abnormal may be going on. Using her/his fingers to feel for lumps, your health care provider will also check your entire breast, underarm and collarbone area, feeling for anything unusual.

What to expect during your CBE:

• Your health care provider will perform the exam in a private room.
• You will be provided with a cover or gown to wear, and before your exam, you will need to remove your shirt, bra and any other clothing from your waist up.
• If you would feel more comfortable having another female friend, family member or staff member in the room for the exam, just ask and she can join you.
• The exam is done on one breast, then the other. The entire exam will usually take about 10 minutes.
• The health care provider will use her/his fingertips to feel for lumps in your breast tissue using three levels of pressure (light, medium and deep). These three pressures help to feel for lumps in each layer of breast tissue. Sometimes feeling the deep tissue can be slightly uncomfortable, but it's very important.
• You may be asked to raise your arms over your head, let them hang by your sides, or press your hands against your hips. These different positions help the health care provider give you a proper examination.
• If you're interested, your health care provider will show you how to do a Self Breast Exam. This is an exam you do at home every month so that you can learn the difference between what's normal and what's not.

Part Two: Your mammogram.
A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast. Your health care provider uses this x-ray to look for anything unusual. The goal of a mammogram is to find cancer that is still too small to be felt during an exam. Receiving a routine mammogram is important because it's the best tool a health care provider has to find breast cancer early. A mammogram can find some cancers before you would have any physical symptoms (such as a lump or pain).

What to expect during your mammogram:

• The screening will be done in a private room, usually with only you and the x-ray technician present. These technicians are specially trained in how to give a mammogram and they will give you step-by-step instructions on what to do.
• You will be provided with a cover or gown to wear, and before the screening you will need to remove your shirt, bra and any other clothing from your waist up.
• The x-ray technician will place each breast between two plastic plates. A quick x-ray is taken of each breast.
• The screening will take only a few minutes.

Tips to help you prepare for your mammogram:

• On the day of the screening, don't wear deodorant or antiperspirant. Some of these products can cause the mammogram x-ray to be read incorrectly.
• The clinic will provide a cover or gown for you to wear. You won't need to remove all of your clothes for the screening, but since you will have to take off your shirt and bra, it might be more convenient for you to wear a skirt or pants (instead of a dress).
• Schedule your screening when your breasts are not tender or swollen. This will help make the exam more comfortable and will also help provide accurate results.
• Make sure to tell your health care provider and the x-ray technician about any symptoms, problems or questions you may have about your breasts.