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Progress in manual breast examination
Author(s) -
Hall Deborah C.,
Goldstein Mark Kane,
Stein Gerald H.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(197707)40:1<364::aid-cncr2820400151>3.0.co;2-a
Subject(s) - palpation , medicine , breast lumps , breast cancer , physical examination , medical physics , breast examination , breast cancer screening , mammography , radiology , cancer
Manual breast examination, despite recent advances in mechanical screening devices, remains a primary diagnostic procedure for early detection of breast cancer. The potential effectiveness of breast self—examination for reducing mortality relies on the effectiveness of a technology for training women to detect small tumors through manual palpation. Research indicates that although the regular practice of breast self—examination can lead to the detection of small tumors, current training methods are inadequate to ensure proper performance and maintain regular practice. An alternative interdisciplinary research and training approach, involving medicine, biomaterials engineering, psychophysics, and experimental psychology, is suggested. A dynamic lifelike breast model with variable lumps would provide the basis for generating systematic data regarding the factors affecting detection of small lumps and lead to development and evaluation of efficient and effective methods to teach manual examination. Cancer 40:364–370, 1977.