Dr Shireen explained how to complete the check that everyone is recommended to complete on a regular basis
An NHS doctor has highlighted an easy check “we should all be doing” as it could help diagnose cancer and save lives. GP and medical educator Dr Shireen has reminded her TikTok (@doctorshireen) followers to check their breasts following Jessie J’s cancer diagnosis.
The 37-year-old singer has revealed she’s been diagnosed with “early breast cancer” and plans to undergo surgery. Praising the Price Tag singer, Dr Shireen said: “Jessie J has very bravely shared that she’s been diagnosed with early breast cancer.
“In her video, she says that she’s holding on to the fact that it was diagnosed early, and she’s absolutely right in doing so. The earlier we diagnose breast cancer, the better the prognosis, i.e., the better the outcome.”
“I’m a GP and today I’m going to share with you what we should all be doing to ensure if we were to get a breast cancer, it’d be picked up early, and that is self-checking,” Dr Shireen shared.
“Don’t forget that breast cancer can affect men, too. So we recommend everyone to check their breasts once a month at least. It’s really important for us to know what’s normal so that the second that things might start becoming abnormal, we can pick it up quickly.”
In her video, the GP explained how to complete the check in a few steps. “The first thing you need to do is look, and it’s not just looking at the breasts, it’s also looking all the way up to the collarbone and into the axilla.
“You’re looking at the skin, you’re looking for any tethering, any puckering, even any eczematous changes. Looking at the nipple for any inversion, any sign of any potential discharge, any changes like that,” she said.
Dr Shireen continued: “Next is feeling. So again, when we are palpating, we need to go all the way up and all the way into the axilla area.
“But if we think about the breast as a round ball, you want to cut it into four quadrants, and you want to palpate each quadrant separately. So the way to do it is you push on one side, and then you literally just feel the area, and you’re feeling for any lumps, any swellings, anything new that you’re unsure about.”
The doctor urged people to speak to a GP if they have any health concerns. “If you do notice any of these changes, please make an appointment to speak to your GP. We refer patients to the urgent breast clinic all of the time, and more than 90% of the time it’s nothing. But it is really important that if it is a breast cancer that is picked up early, because prognosis is so dependent on that,” she said.
The NHS explains that how serious breast cancer is depends on how big the cancer is, if the cancer has spread, and your general health.
Advice on how to check your breasts is available on the NHS website. It says: “Checking your breasts or chest regularly helps you learn what looks and feels normal for you. This makes it easier to notice any changes that could be a sign of a condition such as breast cancer. You should try to check your breasts or chest about once a month.”