Breast Cancer And Self-Examination

Statement of the Problem

Most breast cancer cases are found in women over 35, but tumors that are found in younger women tend to be more aggressive and are associated with lower survival rates (Norman & Cooper, 2011). On average the size of a breast cancer tumor among young women between the ages 16-20 are slightly larger and more progressive than a tumor found in a woman older than 35 (Shin, Park & Kim, 2012). If a lump is found at an early stage there are more chances in removing the cancer before it spreads to other parts of the body. Improving the likelihood that a specific treatment will be successful is merely finding the cancer as soon as possible (Chowdhury & Sultana 2011). The question becomes, what are the awareness levels of college-aged women on breast cancer and breast self-examinations.

Introduction

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that has developed from cells of the breast (Chowdhury & Sultana 2011). Some evidence indicates that mammography screening is less effective prior to the age of 35, due to denser breast tissue. Thus self-examinations seem to be the most reliable means of early detection in the college age group (Umeh & Jones, 2010). Mother-daughter communication may be a key factor in college women getting the necessary knowledge about breast self-examinations (BSE) that they don’t receive from healthcare providers. Media also has a large impact on the way college women seek health