Breast Cancer Awareness

July 6, 2012 dotcomwomen

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In 1991 the Department of Health recommended that instead of women examining their breasts every month for abnormalities, they follow a five point code which is easy to understand and put into practice and much more effective at detecting abnormalities and changes.

1. Know what is normal for you

Woman of all ages should be aware of the normal appearance and texture of their breasts

What can be normal?

One breast bigger than the other
Nipple inversion
Accessory breast/nipple (2-5%)
Lumpiness
Tenderness or pain

During the menstrual cycle Some women experience enlarged, tender, lumpy breasts – these symptoms settle after the period, but some women do experience lumpy, tender breasts all the time. It’s important to recognize what’s normal for you.

During pregnancy Breasts become larger as the milk producing cells multiply. It is also normal for the nipples to get darker and the blood vessels to become more prominent.

Ageing During the ageing process it is normal for beast tissue to lose its elasticity and for breasts to sag

Menopause The following are all normal breast changes which you may experience during the menopause

Breasts shrink (result of reduction in oestrogen)
Sometimes breasts get smaller/larger
Nipples alter, as the major ducts behind the nipples get shorter and wider.

Get to know what is normal for you by:-

Feeling your breasts every day until you are familiar with the texture and how it can change through menstrual cycle.
Expect breasts to be a bit lumpy
Look and feel your breasts regularly whenever is convenient for you.

2. Know what changes to look and feel for

Once you’re aware of what’s normal for you, it’s important to look out for changes in your breasts. You should look out for any of the following:-

Change in the shape of the breast (pulling of the skin, visible swelling)
Changes in the nipple (pulling in)
Swelling in the armpit
Lumps or thickening that feels different from the rest of the breast

3. Look and feel

Look at your breasts in the mirror. Notice how they fall, and move up as you raise your arms.
Look at the position of your nipples
Feel your breasts from time to time

4. Report any changes to your GP without delay

The majority of changes will be normal. Your GP may ask:-

For you to return at another time in your menstrual cycle
To refer you to a breast clinic

5. Attend routine screening if aged fifty or over

All women aged between 50 and 64 are invited to be screened every 3 years (the age range will be extended from 64 to 70 by 2004)
You will be invited to attend your first screening between the ages of 50 and 53. You can still be screened after the age of 70 on request.
Approximately 8% of first screenings and 3% of subsequent screenings will be recalled. This may be due to technical error or potential abnormality. (Of those recalled approximately 1 in 8 will have breast cancer)
Screening does not conclusively detect the presence or absence of disease, but sorts the screened population into test positives and test negatives.
False negatives and positives result from the sensitivity (ability to detect disease) and specificity (ability to exclude disease) of the screening test.