Self-exams of breasts come under scrutiny

New study asserts that mortality rates are not lowered By Judith Graham | Chicago Tribune reporter There's no need to feel guilty, ladies, if you don't examine your breasts with rigor and regularity. The medical field is divided over the once-routine recommendation that women inspect their breasts monthly to detect possible cancer. Controversy flared again last week with the publication of a new review by the Cochrane Collaborative, an international organization that evaluates medical research. The report's conclusion may take many women by surprise: "Considering the currently available evidence, promotion of breast self-examination as a single screening method cannot be recommended." Scientific studies of more than 400,000 women in Russia and China show the practice doesn't reduce breast cancer mortality rates; instead, more... [read full story]