Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and with breast screening services now resuming after being effectively paused during lockdown, it is more important than ever to ensure you get checked if you find any symptoms.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the UK, with one woman diagnosed every 10 minutes. One in seven women in the UK will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.

As with all cancers, the chances of successful treatment are vastly improved the earlier it is caught. It is important to check your breasts regularly for any symptoms and see your GP if you do notice any changes. Most breast changes are not caused by cancer and noticing an unusual change doesn’t necessarily mean you have breast cancer, but it’s important to get anything unusual checked by your GP.

Common signs and symptoms of breast cancer:

Lump or swelling in the breast, upper chest or armpit – you might feel the lump but not be able to see it
A change to the skin, such as dimpling or puckering
A change in the colour of the breast – the breast may look red or inflamed
A change to the nipple, for example it has become pulled in (inverted)
A rash, crusting or changes around the nipple area
Any unusual liquid discharge from either nipple
Any changes in size or shape of the breast
Pain in breasts all or most of the time – on its own occasional pain is not an indication, but continuous pain can be

Checking your breasts

Take a few minutes to check your breasts for any changes on a regular basis. Monitoring them regularly can help you identify changes. You don’t need any training to check your breasts, there is no special technique, just be sure to check your whole breast area, armpits and your upper chest area.