Screening & diagnostics

Core screening & diagnostics

1.4.5 Self-examinations

Routine breast and testicular cancer self-examination is not recommended actively by national health bodies as a primary screening method due to false-positive findings, which cause unnecessary anxiety and biopsies. Instead, they encourage women to be “breast aware,” meaning they should know how their breasts normally look and feel, and report any changes to a doctor. Similarly, men should be informed about testicular self examination and be aware of their bodies.

Beyond these, the most widely supported self-screening method is for skin cancer, particularly in countries with high sun exposure like Australia, where a monthly skin self-exam is recommended to check for new or changing moles and to be aware of the ABCDEs (Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter, Evolving) of melanoma.

  1. 1.1 Introduction
  2. 1.2 Strategy
    1. 1.2.1 Considerations by age group
  3. 1.3 Policy
    1. 1.3.1 Policy interventions
  4. 1.4 Private sector
    1. 1.4.1 Prenatal screening
    2. 1.4.2 Postnatal and childhood screening
    3. 1.4.3 Clinical health screening
    4. 1.4.4 Screening for old age disorders
    5. 1.4.5 Self-examinations
    6. 1.4.6 Screening for high risk individuals