BREAST DISEASE

Breast awareness/breast screening

The NHS Breast Cancer Screening Programme offers breast screening (mammography) every 3 years to women in the UK aged 50–71 years for the detection of breast cancer. Women in their mid-20s and onward are encouraged to be ‘breast aware’; women should get to know how their breasts normally look and feel, so that they can spot any changes that could be signs of breast cancer. They should:

• Know what is normal for that individual
• Know what changes to look for
• Report any changes without delay
• Attend for screening if aged 50 or over

Breast cancer

The most common cancer in the UK (15% of all newly diagnosed cancers): 1 in 8 women in the UK develop cancer in their lifetime. The main treatments for breast cancer include:

• Surgery  (local wide excision [lumpectomy], mastectomy, lymph node removal)
• Chemotherapy
• Radiotherapy
• Hormonal/endocrine therapy
• Target cancer drugs  

Targeted cancer drugs +/- chemotherapy may be offered before surgery for women who have HER2-positive cancer cells and locally advanced or inflammatory breast cancer, or breast cancer with a high risk of recurrence. 

Patients should see a breast cancer nurse specialist, but may appreciate additional support with treatment side-effects and advice on post-mastectomy rehabilitation, e.g. breast prostheses, breast reconstruction.