Breast self-examination in young women: more harm than good?

Abstract

It is argued that women who find asymptomatic benign breast lesions by breast self-examination (BSE) are exposed to unnecessary anxiety, unnecessary medical investigations (including invasive procedures), and potential risks of false reassurance. "False positives" so greatly outnumber patient-detected cancers below age 30 to 35 that the potential for net benefit from BSE in this age group is remote. BSE in younger women, by encouraging invasive and costly medical investigation of many asymptomatic benign breast lumps needing no treatment, could well do more harm than good.