Overview

• Clinicians use Breast Cancer Awareness Month to share simple mirror and palpation steps, advising checks a few days after periods or on a fixed monthly date post‑menopause.
• Experts emphasize that self-exams are not a substitute for mammography, with one recommendation calling for biennial screening from age 45 for women without a family history.
• In India, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, with reported cases rising from about 200,218 in 2019 to 221,579 in 2023 and 57% diagnosed at a late stage.
• UK reporting highlights a decline in regular self-checks, falling from 49% in 2022 to 45% in 2024.
• Doctors note most new lumps are not cancerous but urge prompt clinical evaluation of any change to enable earlier diagnosis and treatment.