Breast cancer is now the most common cancer in the UK. It is by far the most common cancer in women.
1 in 7 women in the UK develop breast cancer during their lifetime.
In 2017 in the UK there were around 54,700 women and 390 men diagnosed with breast cancer.
Anything that increases the risk of getting a disease is called a risk factor.
Having one or more of the following risk factors doesn’t mean that you will definitely get breast cancer. Many people who have these factors never get it and some people with no risk factors develop it.
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 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.
Although rare, men can get breast cancer. The most common symptom of breast cancer in men is a lump in the chest area.
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.
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.
Watch this short video on how to check yourself correctly: Touch Look Check | Breast Check Now [2:03] – YouTube
You can also download this handy guide: BCN_New_0448_WIP22_TLC-poster_FINAL
