Breast Screening

Breast Cancer

  • Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women. It is also the most common cause of cancer-related death in women.
  • Cancer of the breast becomes more common with age.
  • Breast cancer causes the cells in part of the breast to grow abnormally and if not treated, the cells can spread within the breast or even break off and travel to other parts of the body.

Symptoms

Women with breast cancer can have many different symptoms. These include:

  • A lump or lumps in the breast
  • change in the size, shape or skin of the breast
  • changes to the nipple
  • blood-stained discharge from the nipple
  • pain in the breasts (although this is quite rare)

Most lumps that develop in breasts are not cancerous. However, finding one can be very frightening and you should get it checked out by your GP as soon as possible. Your GP may refer you to a specialist for more tests. A referral does not mean that it is cancer; it simply means that the GP wants another opinion.

Diagnosis

Mammograms (special breast X-rays) are available free of charge on the NHS to all women between the ages of 50 and 64 years. Women are invited for screening every three years, and work is in progress to extend this to the age of 70. Because breast cancer screening is a rolling programme (GP surgeries are approached in turn), you may not have your first mammogram at 50, but you will have been called for screening by age 53.

If you're under 50 and worried about a breast change or problem, it's still very important to see your GP. Your GP may refer you to a hospital breast clinic, where you'll have the same screening tests as are carried out on the screening programme.

Mammograms can identify cancer before a lump can be felt. An X-ray of each breast is taken while the breast is carefully compressed (squashed) which most women find slightly uncomfortable. A small number of breast cancers do not show up on X-ray, so it's important to regularly check your breasts yourself too.

When you receive the results of your mammogram, you may be asked to go to an assessment clinic for some more tests, this does not mean you have breast cancer, it just means there is a 'potential abnormality' and the doctors need to make sure everything is ok.

If you have any worries about going for a mammography, or what the results of your mammography mean, you should talk to you GP who will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Treatment

Treatment options depend on individual circumstances including how advanced the cancer is and when it is diagnosed. The team at the hospital will offer support, give information, and discuss which treatments are likely to be most effective.

Treatment will depend on the type of cancer and how far it has spread. Women may be offered different treatments, including, surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, Monoclonal antibody therapy (Herceptin), hormone therapy or complementary or alternative therapies.

Doctors will discuss how much each woman can expect to be helped by treatment and what might happen if she had no extra treatment. Women and their doctors can then balance the benefits against the chance of side effects and come to a decision about treatment.

Prevention

See Self-Breast Examination.

Links

The links below provide more detailed information.