Researchers call media coverage of monthly breast self-examination "misleading."

Medscape reported that "for decades, women have been urged to perform a monthly breast self-examination (BSE), but recently, an increasing number of organizations have backed away from recommending routine self-exams." Several "studies evaluating the benefit of BSE have shown decidedly mixed results and, last month, a flurry of media stories reported on a Cochrane analysis that showed that BSE does not improve breast cancer survival and might, in fact, cause harm." But, "Mark Kane Goldstein, Ph.D., and H.S. Pennypacker, Ph.D., both members of the...research team that identified and validated the standards for proficient breast examination, with the support of the National Cancer Institute, pointed out in a detailed response that the media coverage was misleading, contained a number of errors, and omitted critical information."