Risks of CBE
Like other screening tests, the clinical breast examination is not perfectly reliable. It may detect a suspicious mass that leads to an unnecessary needle biopsy or uncomfortable procedures. Until a definitive diagnosis is available, this kind of false positive finding may cause apprehension and anxiety. There may also be costs and inconvenience due to repeated office visits. The risk of false positive findings rises with a lower risk of breast cancer.
Another risk is that the examination may fail to find a cancerous tumor (a false negative finding), resulting in an inappropriate sense of security and failure to follow a recommended screening schedule. Both of these risks were factored into the recommendations on screening for breast cancer made by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
