Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2024
Touch your breasts. Look for changes. Check anything new or unusual with a GP. What's your normal?
What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
Signs and symptoms of breast cancer include:
- 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 darker, 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.
How to check your breasts:
There’s no special way to check your breasts and you do not need any training.
Checking your breasts is as easy as TLC:
- Touch your breasts: can you feel anything new or unusual?
- Look for changes: does anything look different to you?
- Check any new or unusual changes with a GP
Everyone will have their own way of touching and looking for changes.
Get used to checking regularly and be aware of anything that’s new or different for you.
Check your whole breast area, including up to your collarbone (upper chest) and armpits.
See your GP if you notice a change.
Most breast changes, including breast lumps, are not cancer. But the sooner breast cancer is found, the more successful treatment is likely to be.
Get any new or unusual changes checked by a GP.
Breast screening (mammogram) can pick up breast cancer that is too small to feel or see, which may make treatment more likely to be successful. It is important to attend your mammogram when you are invited.
Anyone can get breast cancer.
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women in the UK. Women over 50 years old are the most likely group to have breast cancer but it can affect anyone.
- Breast cancer in younger women - 2300 women under 40 are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. Make a habit of checking by putting a reminder in your phone.
Find information and support services for younger women with breast cancer.
- Breast cancer in men - Many people don’t know that men can get breast cancer because they don’t think that men have breasts. But everyone has breast tissue. Breast cancer in men is rare. Around 400 men are diagnosed each year in the UK.
Find out about breast cancer in men and support available.
- Breast cancer in ethnic communities - In the UK, breast cancer is less common in women from South Asian, black, Chinese, mixed, and other communities, than in white women. But women from these groups face lower survival rates, later diagnosis, and different levels of care.
Breast Cancer Now free and confidential support services
If you have any questions about breast cancer or breast health, or if you just want to talk, Breast Cancer Now specialist nurses are available for you.
0808 800 6000 (Lines open: Monday to Friday - 9am to 4pm; Saturday - 9am to 1pm)
Fill in the online form to confidentially ask nurses your question. Whether you have specific questions around breast cancer, or want more information, they're available to help.
Contact Breast Cancer Now via their contact form (aim to respond within 3 working days.)
Read more information from Breast Cancer Now, the support and research charity.
