Last year I posted a surprising Cochrane review which found that breast self-exams led to absolutely no benefit in breast cancer survival, while doubling the rate of biopsies (which contain their own set of risks) - and now a government panel of doctors and scientists are telling us that mammograms for younger women are equally unnecessary.

Well, this one surprised me.  It seems that a strict self-exam routine  (same day every month, same pattern, same position, note your findings...) had absolutely no improvement in breast cancer mortality over those who did nothing at all.  It also led to twice as many biopsies - meaning all those biopsies, with their own risks, were unnecessary.

So now, rather than promoting self-exams, they're promoting "relaxed breast awareness."  Rather than a strict routine, just "know yourself & what is normal for you."  I didn't see that in the science (since there was no improvement over those who did NOTHING), but sure.  It seems to make sense. 

Said the researchers, "At present, screening by breast self-examination or physical examination cannot be recommended."

While one may ask how a woman should be "aware" of any changes without conducting self-exams, one may also ask how the stress of false positives & unnecessary biopsies affects them, particularly since overwhelmingly stressful events are associated with cancer development.