Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in women. In fact, statistics claim that about 1 in 8 US women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. In addition to self-examinations to check for lumps, there are other signs that you should examine yourself for. You'll need to remove your shirt and bra for a thorough examination. Change In Size Or Shape Of The Breast When you conduct your monthly breast examination, you should be looking for more than just lumps.