breast exam question

Hello,
I have very lumpy breasts and have had a recent breast cancer scare.  Now I'm very paranoid about the lumpiness in my breasts and find myself often checking.  
Could you please let me know if it is considered safe to do deep massage of the breast and lymph nodes during a breast exam, or does this cause any risk of potential cancer spreading through the lymphatic system?  My breasts feels sore after and I'm worried if there is any risk associated with this.
Thank you for your help.

[riley180]

Hi,
There is no known association between breast cancer from traumaduring the self-breast examination. If you are undergoing mammography however, if you do perform a vigorous examination leaving some areas in pain – some of the X-ray features of traumatic breast injury (particularly blunt force trauma, e.g. hitting your breasts on the steering wheel during a sudden stop – though I doubt if the forces generated in this manner would be equal to the force you apply during the examination) are similar to malignancy, and you may get an unnecessary biopsy.
Perhaps it is good to keep in mind that if it hurts, don’t do it. It may also be a good idea to have a regular examination performed by a doctor.
If your breasts are lumpy partly because you are overweight, it may be a good idea to have a good exercise program and diet to lower your risk of getting breast cancer. In general, no specific diet exists to promote a cancer-free state. Try to target and ideal body weight for your height, and at least an exercise program that would be equivalent to walking 30 minutes 3 times a week.
My best to you. Happy holidays.

[jen109]

Thanks for your response.  You sound knowledgeable about this topic.  Have you studied this in the past?
Do you think it is also safe to have massages to the arms and lymphatic areas, or is there any risk that this could cause breast cancer to spread to the lymph nodes?  I've seen conflcting reports online.
Thanks for your advice.