Can Breast Self-Examination Continue to Be Touted Justifiably as an Optional Practice?

Table 1

Data comparing younger and older breast cancer patients.

	Total patient number (𝑁)	%	𝑁>40 years (old)	%	𝑁<41 years  (young)	%	𝑃 value
	822		758	92	64	8
Method of discovery
Mammography	399	49	382	49	17	18
Self-breast examination	322	39	278	37	44	69
Clinical examination	111	14	98	13	3	5	<.0001
Lymph node status
Lymph nodes positive	183	23	156	21	27	42
Lymph nodes negative	473	57	448	59	25	39	.01
Lymph nodes unknown	166	20	154	20	12	19
ER/PR receptor status
ER/PR receptor positive	660	80	619	82	41	64
ER/PR receptor negative	162	20	139	18	23	36	.01
Stage of cancer		17
Stage  0	136		122	16	14	22
Stage I	345	42	331	44	14	22
Stage II	237	29	212	28	25	39
Stage III	57	7	48	6	9	14
Stage IV	21	3	21	3	0	0	<.005
Stage unknown	26	3	24	3	2	3
Treatment
Lumpectomy	651	79	623	76	28	44
Simple mastectomy	16	2	14	2	2	3
MRM	147	18	117	15	33	50
No surgical treatment	8	1	5	0.7	1	1	<.05