Abstract

ABSTRACTUsing data from a sample of more than 2,000 women with breast cancer, we examined relationships between 11 variables. In Oklahoma, breast self-examination (BSE) seems to be practiced more among younger, white, metropolitan women, indicating that educational efforts should be directed toward other groups. Tumors found by BSE were found at a significantly earlier stage than tumors that patients casually discovered. There was no significant difference in the stage of tumors found by BSE, routine physical examination, or screening, but the median size of tumors found by BSE was smaller than that for tumors detected by any other method except screening. Since BSE is the least costly examination, we believe educational efforts designed to increase the use of BSE would be worthwhile. Marital status, family history of cancer, and history of benign breast disease did not appear to be related to either method of detection or stage.