A clinical breast examination is a physical examination of the breast done by a health professional. Clinical breast examinations are used along with mammograms to check women for breast cancer.

Medical experts disagree about the need for regular clinical breast examinations. Some doctors recommend regular CBE. However, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) concluded that there is not enough evidence to recommend for or against routine CBEs. The evidence showed reductions in breast cancer deaths in studies using mammography alone are comparable to those using mammography plus CBE.

A clinical breast examination may be part of your regular checkup. Talk with your health professional to determine how often to have a breast examination.