A CONSULTANT surgeon at BMI Droitwich Spa Hospital has called on women to check their breasts regularly.
The advice from Michelle Mullen comes as October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
She said, despite major improvements to treatment, around 12,000 women in the UK still died from breast cancer each year, adding that early detection was key to people surviving.
“We are winning the battle but the fight must go on.”
“Breast health is something that can so easily be overlooked but the recent statistics show that with increased awareness and through high-profile media campaigns we can influence the behaviour of women across the UK.
“We need to ensure that every woman knows how to carry out effective self-check procedures and, just as importantly, what to do if she thinks something is wrong.”
She added if women felt something that was wrong, they should get an appointment with their GP at the earliest opportunity and would then receive informed advice and, if necessary, a referral to a breast surgeon who could then instigate various investigations such as mammograms and biopsies.
“It should also be remembered that the vast majority of women who do see a specialist do not have breast cancer,” she added.
Among the things to look out for are painless lumps in the breast, changes in the size or shape of the breast, dimpling to the skin of the breast, thickened breast tissue, nipple inversion, a rash affecting the nipple, a lump or thickening behind the nipple or a blood-stained discharge.
Swelling or a new lump in the armpit and clear nipple discharge from one side are also signs.
Visit www.bmihealthcare.co.uk/passthebra for more information.
Breast Cancer is still the second biggest cancer killer in the UK and next year another 55,000 people are expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer.
But, according to leading cancer charities, better awareness, better screening and better treatments now mean we are winning the battle to beat breast cancer.
