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Approximately 42,000 women and 300 men are newly diagnosed with breast cancer every year in the UK. Find out how to check your breasts, lower your risks and read inspirational stories of brave women around the country...
Although lumps in the breast can be caused by harmless conditions such as cysts (nine times out of 10, a lump in the breast will not be cancerous), it's important to get any changes in your breast checked out by your doctor - sooner rather than later.
Check your breasts
The Department of Health, Royal College of Nursing and all cancer charities, such as Breast Cancer Care, now encourage women to be breast aware. Men need to be breast aware too as around 300 are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in the UK. Being breast aware means knowing your breasts and the changes they go through during your life. You should know how your breasts look and feel normally so that you notice any changes quickly. While most changes in the breast will be benign, early detection can mean more effective treatment if cancer is found.
There is no set way to check your breasts and you don?t have to look and feel at the same time, but you should find the time to do it regularly. It?s important to make sure you feel all parts of the breast, from high up on the front of your chest, down and around into your armpit.
The breast awareness five-point code:
1. Know what is normal for you
2. Know what changes to look and feel for
3. Look and feel
4. Report any changes to your GP without delay
5. Attend routine breast screening if you are aged 50 or over
Changes to be aware of:
- Size if one breast becomes larger, or lower
- If a nipple becomes inverted (pulled in) or changes position or shape
- Rashes on or around the nipple
- Discharge from one or both nipples
- Skin changes, puckering or dimpling
- Swelling under the armpit or around the collarbone (where the lymph nodes are)
- Continuous pain in one part of the breast or armpit
- A lump or thickening different to the rest of the breast tissue
Did you know?
- Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK and accounts for almost one in three of all cancer cases
- Breast cancer causes more than 12,400 deaths each year in the UK
- It is the third-most-common cause of cancer death after lung and bowel cancer and accounts for around 17 per cent of cancer deaths in women
- The incidence of breast cancer in British women is increasing by more than one per cent each year
- Survival rates beyond five years are improving, probably due to increased breast awareness, the NHS screening service, earlier detection and improved treatment
- It is estimated that around 172,000 women are alive in the UK who have been diagnosed with breast cancer in the last 10 years
Anyone with breast cancer or breast health concerns can get free, confidential support and information from to Breast Cancer Care helpline on 0808 800 6000 or by visiting www.breastcancercare.org.uk.
Although lumps in the breast can be caused by harmless conditions such as cysts (nine times out of 10, a lump in the breast will not be cancerous), it's important to get any changes in your breast checked out by your doctor - sooner rather than later.
Check your breasts
The Department of Health, Royal College of Nursing and all cancer charities, such as Breast Cancer Care, now encourage women to be breast aware. Men need to be breast aware too as around 300 are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in the UK. Being breast aware means knowing your breasts and the changes they go through during your life. You should know how your breasts look and feel normally so that you notice any changes quickly. While most changes in the breast will be benign, early detection can mean more effective treatment if cancer is found.
There is no set way to check your breasts and you don?t have to look and feel at the same time, but you should find the time to do it regularly. It?s important to make sure you feel all parts of the breast, from high up on the front of your chest, down and around into your armpit.
The breast awareness five-point code:
1. Know what is normal for you
2. Know what changes to look and feel for
3. Look and feel
4. Report any changes to your GP without delay
5. Attend routine breast screening if you are aged 50 or over
Changes to be aware of:
- Size if one breast becomes larger, or lower
- If a nipple becomes inverted (pulled in) or changes position or shape
- Rashes on or around the nipple
- Discharge from one or both nipples
- Skin changes, puckering or dimpling
- Swelling under the armpit or around the collarbone (where the lymph nodes are)
- Continuous pain in one part of the breast or armpit
- A lump or thickening different to the rest of the breast tissue
Did you know?
- Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK and accounts for almost one in three of all cancer cases
- Breast cancer causes more than 12,400 deaths each year in the UK
- It is the third-most-common cause of cancer death after lung and bowel cancer and accounts for around 17 per cent of cancer deaths in women
- The incidence of breast cancer in British women is increasing by more than one per cent each year
- Survival rates beyond five years are improving, probably due to increased breast awareness, the NHS screening service, earlier detection and improved treatment
- It is estimated that around 172,000 women are alive in the UK who have been diagnosed with breast cancer in the last 10 years
Anyone with breast cancer or breast health concerns can get free, confidential support and information from to Breast Cancer Care helpline on 0808 800 6000 or by visiting www.breastcancercare.org.uk.
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