National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.

I try to do a regular exam every month, but I have to be perfectly honest, I can't tell the difference between a normal lump and a potentially harmful lump. I've talked to some of my girlfriends and they say the same thing...that they don't even do it anymore because they got upset about every lump, they would be in their doctors office every other week.

My doctor says that some lumps are normal and not to worry about them, but how can I not worry? These self exams seem kind of pointless. How CAN you tell the difference?