Oncologist shares self-screening tips for early breast cancer detection

A Manitoba oncologist is reminding women about the importance of early detection in the fight against breast cancer, and the steps you can take at home to help catch the disease early.

October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

About 900 Manitoba women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, and roughly 200 will go on to die from the disease. It and lung cancer are the province’s two most common cancers.

“Breast cancer can be a really scary diagnosis for many women and occasionally men, but it’s important to know that if we catch breast cancer early, the survival rates are extraordinarily high,” said Dr. Pamela Hebbard, head of surgical oncology with CancerCare Manitoba.

Tantamount to early detection, Dr. Hebbard says, is self-screening. She recommends feeling your breasts and arm pits about once a month, and reporting any abnormalities to your doctor.

“Know what’s normal for you. It’s really hard for us to describe what a breast cancer feels like, but every single woman I’ve ever seen - they’ve felt something and said ‘it’s not like something I’ve ever felt before,’” she said. “Women are very good at knowing when that isn’t their own tissue, it’s something else.”

Though it is rare, Dr. Hebbard notes men can get breast cancer, as well. Men should also self-screen and report any abnormalities to a health-care provider.

Additionally, a mammogram is recommended for women between the ages of 50 and 74 every two to three years. However, doctors may recommend more frequent or earlier screening for women with risk factors for the disease, such as familial history.

Details on how to book a mammogram can be found on CancerCare Manitoba’s BreastCheck website.

- With files from CTV’s Rachel Lagacé