Breast Cancer Awareness Month

When you think of October, you might think of autumn, falling leaves, and that old back-to-school feeling. However, particularly if you or someone you know has been affected by breast cancer, you might also know that October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The need to support the fight against breast cancer is more pressing than ever, as diagnosis rates are on the rise. In 2024, every 10 minutes, one woman in the UK is diagnosed with breast cancer. If nothing is done to change this, the frequency is predicted to rise to one diagnosis every 8 minutes by 2040.

As it stands, breast cancer is the UK’s most common cancer, with roughly 56,000 people diagnosed every year and one life taken every 45 minutes. This incomprehensible scale of impact breast cancer is having means there has never been a more crucial time to take action and get involved in Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Nearly 40 Years of Breast Cancer Awareness

In 1985, the American Cancer Society chose one week in October to focus on raising awareness of breast cancer. Their goal was to encourage women to attend breast cancer screenings and mammograms. This has since transformed into a month-long event, observed in the UK as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The aim of this awareness month is to support those living with breast cancer, raise awareness and improve education, and fund vital research.

Detecting the Signs of Breast Cancer

Knowing the signs of breast cancer starts with getting to know your chest. How does your chest normally feel? What does it normally look like? Once you know your own normal, you’ll be better equipped to detect the abnormal.

Despite common misconceptions, everyone has breast tissue, meaning that breast cancer is a risk for all genders. So, this October, it’s essential for us all to learn what to look out for in our breasts and our chests. These include:

A change in the skin of your breast – such as dimpling or redness.
Changes in the shape of your nipple.
Discharge from your nipples if you are not pregnant or breastfeeding.
A lump or thickening of breast tissue.
Pain in your breast or armpit which doesn’t go away.
A rash on or around your nipple.
Swelling in your breast, chest, or armpit.

For those without breasts:

Changes in the size or shape of either side of your chest.
Sores or ulcers on your chest.

It’s important to mention that some of these symptoms are very common and can be caused by other conditions or reasons. So, before jumping to conclusions, always contact your GP or another medical professional.

Screening

In the UK, the NHS sends out their first invite for a breast screening to women sometime between their 50th and 53rd birthdays and continues to invite women back every three years. Routine screening is thought to prevent around 1,300 deaths from breast cancer each year. If you’re invited to a screening, it’s extremely important to attend – it could save your life.

Detecting Breast Cancer as a Transgender Woman

The risks for breast cancer are lower in transgender women, but they are still important to consider. There are also several unique risks you may face as a transgender woman, including differences in breast density, taking gender-affirming drugs which contain high levels of oestrogen, and potential confusion surrounding breast health and screenings. If you’re transgender and are unsure or concerned about your breast health, don’t hesitate to contact your GP to talk about this further.

Conducting a Self-Examination

Now that you know what the signs of breast cancer are, you need to know how to check your chest properly. You should aim to carry out a self-examination once a month, at the same time every month, to get a clear idea of what your breasts usually feel like.

For people who menstruate, it is advisable to check your breasts about 3-5 days after your period when your breasts are not as tender.

Self-examination can be broken down into 5 simple steps. While standing in front of a mirror:

Examine each breast for anything abnormal.
To do this, clasp your hands behind your head and press your hands forward.
Press your hands firmly on your hips and bend slightly towards the mirror, bringing your shoulders and elbows forward.
Squeeze your nipple gently, looking for any fluid leaking.
Lie flat on your back, with one arm over your head and a folded towel, cushion, or pillow under your shoulder, and use your free hand to check your breasts.

Find a visual representation of this 5-step method here.

Did You Know?

Breast tissue goes right up to your collarbone. When checking your chest, don’t forget to check the entire area. This means feeling all the way up to your collarbone, around your armpits, and across your ribcage.

Supporting Those Living with Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer Awareness Month isn’t just about preventative measures; it’s also about supporting those living with breast cancer.

Secondary breast cancer occurs when cancer cells proliferate, spreading around the body. While this tends to occur after primary breast cancer, it can also be diagnosed at the same time as, or even before, its detection.

The signs of secondary breast cancer:

Appetite loss.
Difficulty sleeping.
Feeling or being sick.
Pain.
Tiredness.
Unexplained weight loss.

Chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted drugs, and hormone therapies can help control these symptoms. Secondary breast cancer is not currently curable; however, if you’re living with it, you can receive support to help manage the impact it might be having on your life.

The Power of Pink

One colour has become synonymous with Breast Cancer Awareness Month: pink. But why?

The ribbon began as a grassroots project in the early 1990s. Charlotte Haley hand-made peach ribbons and passed them out to thousands of people. A card was attached to each ribbon highlighting and criticising the lack of funding for cancer prevention research.

After word spread, corporations and media outlets reached out to Haley with the hopes of featuring her ribbon and message. She declined, so the ribbon was changed to pink, and the iconic imagery was born.

Reducing Your Risk of Breast Cancer

Only 15% of people with breast cancer will have a family history of the disease. This means that, for the majority, there are simple lifestyle changes you could make to help reduce your risk. These include:

Getting active – being active and healthy helps reduce the amount of insulin and oestrogen in your body, two hormones which can encourage faster breast cell production.
Limiting your alcohol consumption – the body’s method of breaking down alcohol can cause changes in our DNA, which could provoke the development of cancerous cells.
Maintaining a healthy weight – fat cells make oestrogen, and oestrogen can trigger the development of breast cancer cells. Therefore, women who are overweight are more likely to get breast cancer.
Quitting smoking – smoking tobacco can raise your breast cancer risk level.

Research suggests that, in the UK, at least 30% of all breast cancer cases could be prevented by making healthy lifestyle changes. This figure underlines just how important it is to lead as healthy a lifestyle as possible!

In Summary

Breast cancer can be a frightening subject to think about. However, it is important to remember that progress is being made, and survival rates are rising. In the 1990s, more than 1 in 7 people with breast cancer died from the disease, now, this figure has fallen to 1 in 20!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a brilliant way to take part in this life-changing progress. By raising awareness, funds, and offering your time, you can support the diagnosed, improve knowledge, and help fuel lifesaving research and treatment developments. Better still, let’s extend our efforts all year round – not just during October. Together, we can lower breast cancer rates and work towards a world where this disease impacts fewer and fewer people.

Get involved:

Breast cancer is a risk for anyone, which makes it a cause we should all get behind. This October, do what you can to get involved with Breast Cancer Awareness Month.