Clinical Breast Exam

What is a clinical breast exam (CBE)?

A clinical breast exam (CBE) is a physical exam done by a health care provider. It’s often done during your regular medical check-up.

A CBE should be performed by a health care provider well-trained in the technique. This may be a physician, nurse practitioner or other medical staff. Not all health care providers have this training.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommends a trained health care provider carefully feel your breasts, underarm and the area just below your clavicle (breast bone) for any changes or abnormalities, such as a lump [3].

The health care provider should visually check your breasts while you are sitting up and physically examine your breasts while you are lying down.

If a CBE is not offered at your check-up and you would like one, ask your health care provider to perform one (or refer you to someone who can).

Sources for images: National Cancer Institute and Susan G. Komen® 

CBE screening recommendations

Figure 3.1 lists breast cancer screening recommendations from some major health organizations.

The NCCN recommends women start CBE at age 25 and continue after they begin having mammograms [3].

However, the American Cancer Society doesn’t recommend CBE for breast cancer screening [4]. And, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force feels there’s not enough scientific evidence to recommend for or against CBE [2].

Follow-up after an abnormal CBE

For most women, a clinical breast exam will find no signs of breast cancer.

If your exam does find something abnormal, you’ll need follow-up tests to check whether or not the finding is breast cancer.

Learn about follow-up after an abnormal clinical breast exam.

False positive results and CBE

False positive results occur when a CBE finds something that looks or feels like cancer but turns out not to be cancer.

Getting a false positive result leads to follow-up tests, and can cause fear and worry [24,37-38]. However, the goal of CBE is to find as many cancers as possible, not to avoid false positive results. 

Women Should Have Access to and Coverage for Mammography

Susan G. Komen® believes all women should have access to regular screening mammograms when they and their health care providers decide it is best based on their personal risk of breast cancer. In addition, screening should be covered by insurance companies, government programs and other third-party payers.

 Updated 11/08/21