It’s time to look after yourself! It only takes 10 minutes and it could save your life!
Breast Cancer Information…
Breast Cancer is the most common type of cancer in the UK with approximately 55,900 people diagnosed every year. 1 in 7 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer throughout their lifetime. Your risk of developing breast cancer increases with age with most women being diagnosed over 50.
Breast Screening Information…
Breast screening is the best way to detect breast cancers early, before any signs and symptoms appear and when they have the best chance of being treated.
Free NHS breast screening is available to all women over the age of 50. Women aged 50-71 (who are registered with an NHS GP Practice) are invited via letter, to attend every three years. If your appointment date or time is not suitable you can change your appointment easily by contacting the screening service.
Women aged 71 years and over can contact the screening service to make a 3 yearly appointment.
At your screening appointment, you will be given a mammogram which is an x-ray of the breasts. After your details are taken, you will be shown to a private changing cubicle where you will be asked to remove your clothes from above your waist. You will then be shown into the x-ray room, where a female mammographer will take two images of each breast. It’s quick, it’s easy and your results will be posted out to your home address within 2-3 weeks.
Top Tip – wear separates such as top and trousers rather than a dress.
Please don’t miss your appointment. It only takes 10 minutes and it could save your life.
Breast Awareness…
As well as regularly attending breast screening, it is important to be breast aware. Everyone’s breasts are different. It’s important that you get to know what your breasts look and feel like normally, so that you can detect any unusual changes. Most changes in the breast are harmless but they could be a sign of breast cancer, so see a GP without delay if you notice anything new or unusual.
Tip – why don’t you set a monthly reminder on your phone or calendar so you remember to check yourself regularly.
- Feel – a lump or thickening that feels different from the rest of the breast tissue
- Feel – swelling in your armpit or around your collarbone
- Feel – persistent and unexplained pain in your breast or armpit, that is new or unusual
- Look – a change in the shape or size of the breast
- Look – discharge (liquid) leaking from one or both of your nipples
- Look – changes to your nipple such as it becoming inverted (pulled in) or changing it’s position or shape
- Look – redness, rash or crusting on the skin of the breast and/or around the nipple
- Look – a change in skin texture such as puckering or dimpling that may look like orange peel
There’s no right or wrong way to check your breasts and you don’t need any special training. It’s all about getting to know the size, shape, and feel of your breasts and checking yourself regularly so you can spot any changes quickly.
Tip – why not check yourself in front of a mirror so it’s easier to notice any changes.
Don’t forget to check your whole breast area including your armpits and up to and around your collarbone.
Reducing Your Risk…
There are some things that affect our risk of breast cancer that we are not able to change such as our age and gender. However, certain lifestyle factors such as excessive alcohol consumption, obesity (especially after the menopause) and physical inactivity have been found to increase your risk of developing breast cancer. Therefore we can reduce our risk through making some healthy lifestyle choice.
- Keep a healthy weight and exercise regularly – government guidelines suggest 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week
- Eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day
- Drink within guidelines – men and women are advised not to regularly drink more than 14 units a week. Spread your drinking over three days or more if you drink as much as 14 units a week and have several drink free days each week
Using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and taking the contraceptive pill have also been found to slightly increase your risk. However, your risk will reduce once you stop. If you are concerned about the use of either HRT or the pill we recommend speaking to your GP.
More Information…
For more information, including screening locations or to book or change an appointment contact Gateshead Breast Screening Service (serving Gateshead, South Tyneside, Sunderland, Durham and Chester-le-street) on 0191 445 2554
Click here to download a booklet containing the above information.
Further Support…
- Breast Cancer Now – 0808 800 6000
- Coppafeel (self checkout)
- Cancer Research UK
