FDA-approved pad makes breast cancer self-exam easier

All doctors agree that early detection can save lives when it comes to breast cancer. Unicity Networks, a company that specializes in natural remedies, has the only Breast Self-Examination Pad recently recognized by the FDA that makes the task of self-breast exams easier.

Designed by engineer Don A. Perry, the pad is composed of polyurethane with a lubricant sealed inside it. Because the pad allows fingers to glide smoothly over the breast and amplify even the smallest abnormality, it helps to take the guesswork out of determining which lumps are normal and those that could pose a health threat.

Claire Roth, a local Unicity Network affiliate, said she carries one around in her purse to show women how even the smallest things can appear larger with the pad.

"I take a hair out of my head to show people," Claire said. "If you put a hair between your fingers, it's hard to feel."

Neil Roth, who also distributes the product, said the pad, which retails for $35, causes surprise.

"People's eyes get round when we demonstrate how it enhances the touch," he said.

Claire, like many women, has been apprehensive about self-breast exams for the past several years because she was afraid of what she might find, especially with her family's history of breast cancer. Because the pad will spot an abnormality that is 1 centimeter in size, Claire is now comfortable enough doing the procedure monthly, as a supplement to her yearly mammogram.

"Early detection is the point," she said. "If you can find some abnormality at 1 centimeter, it reduces the percentage of malignancy to 11 percent. You have a chance to catch it before it spreads. If anything suspect has 2 centimeters of growth, the chance jumps to 43 percent that it has spread to other parts of body. If you can get it that much earlier, you're talking about avoiding inasive surgery."

In addition to women over 40 with natural breasts, the Breast Self-Examination pad is also recommended for women with breast implants.

"If they've had implants, it's definitely recommended," Claire said. "It's a particular size. It doesn't have to cover your breast. You can move it to wherever on the breast you want, so even if some people are well-endowed, they can still use it. It's one size fits all. People must realize that it's not a replacement for a mammogram by a doctor, it's an aid." Breast Cancer is found in one in eight American women."

Claire and Neil Roth have spread the word about the pad to cancer organizations such as the Susan G. Komen Foundation because the device has recently been classified by the FDA as a type-two medical device, or one that is recognized by them as being preventative.

"We've been trying to get the word out wherever women are," Claire said. "Everybody I've talked to has had a family member or friend who has been impacted by breast cancer."


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