Breast Cancer is the most common cancer affecting women in the UK accounting for 15% of all cases. That equates to between one in seven to one in eight women. Treatments have advanced enormously in the past thirty years and it is now an extremely survivable cancer when diagnosed early enough. Men can also get breast cancer although cases are very rare.
Make sure you or your loved ones protect yourselves by self checking and being aware of the symptoms.
- A lump or swelling in the breast, upper chest or armpit
- A change to the skin, such as puckering or dimpling
- A change in the colour of the breast – the breast may look red or inflamed
- A nipple change, for example it has become pulled in (inverted)
- Rash or crusting around the nipple
- Unusual liquid (discharge) from either nipple
- Changes in size or shape of the breast
- On its own, pain in your breasts is not usually a sign of breast cancer. But look out for pain in your breast or armpit that’s there all or almost all the time.
- The most common symptom of breast cancer in men is a lump in the chest area.
There are several worthy breast cancer charities in the UK including Breast Cancer Now and Breast Cancer Support. Both of these charities have excellent information on self checking, treatments, and support for those directly and indirectly affected by the disease.