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Cáncer de mama
Knowing how your breasts look and feel can help you notice symptoms that may be of concern. Make a point to examine them once a month.
1. Look at your breasts in a mirror with your hands on your hips. Look for:
2. Look for the same changes with your arms raised.
3. Feel for lumps lying down and standing up.
Haga clic aquí for more information on breast self-exams, including instructional pictures.
Cáncer de la piel
The best time to do this exam is after a shower or bath. Check your skin in a room with plenty of light. Use a full-length mirror and a hand-held mirror. It's best to begin by learning where your birthmarks, moles and other marks are, and their usual look and feel.
Check for:
Check yourself from head to toe.
1. Look at your face, neck, ears and scalp. You may want to use a comb or a blow dryer to move your hair so that you can see better.
2. Look at the front and back of your body in the mirror. Then, raise your arms and look at your left and right sides.
3. Bend your elbows. Look carefully at your fingernails, palms, forearms (including the undersides), and upper arms. Examine the back, front and sides of your legs. Also look around your genital area and between your buttocks.
4. Sit and closely examine your feet, including toenails, soles and the spaces between your toes.
By checking your skin regularly, you'll learn what's normal for you. If you find anything unusual, see your PCP.
Cáncer de testículo
Regular testicular self-examinations can help identify growths early when the chance for successful treatment of testicular cancer is highest.
A testicular self-exam is best performed after a warm shower because heat relaxes the scrotum, making it easier to spot anything abnormal. Follow these steps every month:
1. Stand in front of a mirror. Check for any swelling on the scrotum skin.
2. Examine each testicle with both hands. Place the index and middle fingers under the testicle with the thumbs placed on top. Roll the testicle gently between the thumbs and fingers. Don't be alarmed if one testicle seems slightly larger than the other. That's normal.
3. Find the epididymis, the soft, tubelike structure behind the testicle that collects and carries sperm. If you are familiar with this structure, you won't mistake it for a suspicious lump. Cancerous lumps usually are found on the sides of the testicle but can also show up on the front.
If you find a lump, see your PCP. Only a doctor can make a positive diagnosis.
Fuente: Self Screening, Illinois Department of Public Health.