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14 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • October 2017 Ask the Expert a sk t h e e x p e rt Q: How often should women be doing breast self exams? Ideally, women should check their breasts monthly by performing a SBE (self breast exam). There is no wrong way to check your breasts, as long as patients are taking the time to check both of them. Q: How do I do a self exam? The easiest way to perform a SBE (Self Breast Exam) is in the shower the week after your cycle ends, if you have one. Normal breast tissue is soft and not tender. If you find an area that is hard, consistent with the feeling of a pea or tender to the touch, you should call your health care provider. Q: To reiterate a bit, if I find a lump during my routine self exam, what is the first thing I should do? If you find a lump, remain calm and call your gynecologist. The good news is 90 percent of all palpable lumps are benign (not cancerous). However, you still need to follow up in order to take the steps necessary to figure out what the lump may be. Often times, it's normal breast tissue. In 2014, in the United States, 236,968 women and 2,141 men were diagnosed with breast cancer. According to the CDC, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women of all ethnicities, and the most common cause of death from cancer among Hispanic women. In that same year, 41,211 women and 465 men in the United States died from breast cancer. Cervical cancer is another cancer that affects women worldwide, though its numbers have dropped significantly over the past 40 years. The CDC claims that "the decline largely is the result of many women getting regular Pap tests*, which can find cervical precancer before it turns into cancer." Routine checkups work and are vitally important to preventative care. This month, we spoke with Courtney Miller, WHNP, BC, from Elite Women's Health about breast cancer, cervical cancer, preven- tion and what makes Elite Women's Health OBGYN special. Courtney Miller holds a master's degree in nursing and has been a board-certified Women's Health nurse practitioner since 2007. She has practiced at both Elite Women's Health OB/GYN locations, and as the lead nurse practitioner at a breast health clinic, in Chicago, Illinois (2009–2014). There, she received specialized training in benign and malignant diseases of the breast. INTERVIEWED BY BRENDA SAPANGHILA Elite Women's Health Q: Please tell us a little about what makes Elite Women's Health stand out? Elite Women's Health prides itself on giving elite, customized care to each and every patient who comes to our practice. We believe each patient is unique and different, and with that comes providing customized care. We believe our patients deserve individualized time with each of our providers, and we work to not rush them. We want everyone who leaves our office to feel that they got ELITE care, from the moment they speak to our front desk staff, to the moment they walk out our doors.