The American Cancer Society recommends that women in their 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam (CBE) as part of a periodic health exam by a health professional, preferably every three (3) years. After age 40, women should have a breast exam by a health professional every year.

CBE is a complement to mammograms and an opportunity for women and their doctor or nurse to discuss changes in their breasts, early detection testing, and factors in the woman’s history that might make her more likely to have breast cancer.

The purpose of teaching the medical student how to perform the clinical breast exam is to:

1. Train them to detect a lump or change in the appearance of the breast that may indicate breast cancer
   
2. Teach them to evaluate other breast conditions that may require medical attention, such as mastitis
   
3. Teach them the appropriate communication skills when performing a sensitive exam, such as the breast examination, on patients

NOTE: This entire module is also available in PDF Format.