When I first became a GP in 1990, we encouraged all women to check their breasts once a month. Today, doctors focus much more on being 'breast aware' - getting to know what your breasts look and feel like on a really regular basis (size, outline or shape). That means you'll know what's normal, and are better positioned to spot changes early. That's crucial because if you do have breast cancer, early treatment is much more likely to lead to you beating it.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://patient.info/news-and-features/do-you-check-your-breasts