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Here are the signs and symptoms you should be looking out for
You should examine yourself once a month and report any changes to your doctor right away.
If there’s a problem, your local breast clinic will see you within two weeks.
Here's how to check your breasts:
Touch
In the shower or bath, use your wet, soapy hands to feel for any lumps.
? Use the flat of your hand rather than your fingers.
? Check for lumps on your breasts and also in your armpit area.
? Look out for lumpy areas that do not go away after your next period.
Look
In front of the mirror, with your arms raised, check for the following:
? Changes in the nipple, such as it looking as if it’s been pulled in, or a blood-stained discharge.
? Changes in the shape of your breast or in the texture of the skin, such as dimpling or puckering.
? Repeat the checks with your arms lowered.
Case study
"On Christmas Eve 2013, I was in the shower when I found a lump on my breast. I wasn’t examining them, my hand brushed over the lump and I noticed it. I wasn’t worried as I was young, felt healthy and there is no history of the disease in my family.
The next day – Christmas Day – my partner proposed to me and in the excitement I almost forgot about the lump, but he insisted I go to the doctor. It was bad news: I had stage 3 breast cancer. It shocked me to the core – I could have missed it and not gone to the doctor.
I had a mastectomy and an operation that used tummy fat to recreate my boob, plus I had to have all my lymph nodes removed as well. It was terrifying.
I had four months of chemotherapy and three weeks of radiotherapy, and I need 10 years of hormone therapy.
Looking back, I can’t believe I actually got through it. I have no evidence of the disease now and we’re praying it doesn’t come back.
Now I feel a lot more aware of what I want to achieve in life and stronger and more confident.
This experience has shown me that we need to make every day exciting, fun and memorable. We haven’t got married yet, but we will start planning
it again soon."
The stages of breast cancer explained
Stage 0 & 1: These stages are found when breast cancer is detected early on. The cancer cells are confined to a very limited area, normally within the breast.
Stage 2 & 2A: Cancer is in the early stages, but has begun to grow or spread. It is contained to the breast area and is normally possible to treat effectively.
Stage 3 A, B & C: This is considered advanced cancer, and has begun invading surrounding tissues near the breast. There are a growing number of treatment options.
Stage 4: The cancer has spread beyond the breast to other areas of the body such as the brain, bone, lungs and liver. It is considered incurable, but advances in medicine mean that women are living longer.
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