After Sarah Ferguson’s shock cancer diagnosis… here’s how YOU can check your breasts
Sarah, Duchess of York, has had surgery to treat breast cancer, it has been revealed.
The 63-year-old Duchess was diagnosed after a routine mammogram and has since undergone surgery, which her spokesperson says was successful.
Breast cancer is one of the most common forms of the disease in the UK, with around 55,000 women and 370 men diagnosed each year, according to Breast Cancer Now.
Although breast cancer is highly treatable, it is crucial to detect it as early as possible because the longer it goes without treatment, the greater the risk it can pose.
Despite years of requests from cancer charities, more than a third of women in the UK still don’t regularly have their breasts assessed.
With thousands across the country not knowing how to spot the key signs of the potentially deadly cancer, MailOnline here provides a guide on how to check your breasts and other symptoms to watch out for.
Sarah, Duchess of York, has had surgery to treat breast cancer, it has been revealed.
Checking your breasts should be part of your monthly routine so that you notice any unusual changes. Simply rub and feel from top to bottom, feeling in semicircles and in a circular motion around your breast tissue to detect any abnormalities
How and what should you check?
Checking your breasts can help you spot early signs of breast cancer. This means you have a better chance of beating the disease, experts say.
It should be part of your monthly routine so you notice any unusual changes, says charity CoppaFeel.
But according to a YouGov survey commissioned by Breast Cancer Now, 39 percent of women don’t do it.
More than half of people who don’t check their breasts just forget about it, while 16 percent don’t know how to check.
Dr. Sarah Kayat, who, with the help of a topless cancer survivor, showed viewers on ITV’s This Morning how to get a breast exam, said home breast exams save 1,300 lives in the UK every year.
You can check in in the shower, when you are in bed or in the mirror before getting dressed.
Because breast tissue isn’t just in your breasts, it’s also important for men and women to check the tissue all the way up to their collarbone and under their armpits.
There’s no right or wrong way to check your breasts, as long as you know what your breasts usually look and feel like, the NHS says.
But one of the most popular online methods is using the pads of your fingers.
Simply rub and feel from top to bottom, feeling in semicircles and in a circular motion around your breast tissue to feel for any abnormalities, according to a guide shared in a blog post by the University of Nottingham.
If you notice any changes, you should have this checked by your GP.
Women between the ages of 50 and 70 should also be routinely screened for breast cancer.
Breast cancer symptoms to look out for include lumps and swelling, dimpling of the skin, color changes, discharge, and rash or crusting around the nipple
Checking for…
A lump or swelling
Use your fingers to feel for any lumps or swelling in the breast, upper arm, and chest.
A lump or area of thickened breast tissue that doesn’t move easily is one of the first noticeable symptoms of breast cancer, the NHS says.
And according to the American Cancer Society, this is the most common symptom. It says that the nodules are often hard and painless.
But when feeling unusual lumps and bumps, it’s important to know what’s normal for you, experts say.
The NHS advises women to get used to how their breasts feel at different times of the month. This is because some women have tender and lumpy breasts near the armpit around the time of their period.
The feel of your breasts may also change after menopause, as normal breasts may feel softer, less firm, and less lumpy.
In addition to checking for lumps, visible changes in the shape and size of the breast are also important.
Changes to the skin
Another common sign of breast cancer is a skin change.
This can usually only be seen in the mirror and includes wrinkles or dimples in the skin.
![More than a third of women in the UK don't regularly check their breasts for possible signs of breast cancer, according to the charity Breast Cancer Now [File photo]](https://nybreaking.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/1679930908_183_Ultimate-DIY-guide-to-checking-your-breasts-for-cancer.jpg "After Sarah Ferguson's shock cancer diagnosis... here's how YOU can check your breasts 6")
More than a third of women in the UK don’t regularly check their breasts for possible signs of breast cancer, according to the charity Breast Cancer Now [File photo]
The dimpled skin is often likened to orange peel and may be associated with inflammatory breast cancer, a rare but aggressive cancer.
A change in color is also a warning to check out, says Breast Cancer Now.
If you notice that your breasts look red or inflamed, it could be a sign of cancer.
Pain is only a symptom of breast cancer in rare cases, says the NHS. But if you feel pain or discomfort in one breast that won’t go away, you should see your doctor.
A nipple change
It’s important to check not only your breast tissue for abnormalities, but also your nipples, experts say.
Look for a rash or crusting around the nipple.
The NHS says this can look like eczema, crusting on the skin, scaly, itchy or red skin.
You should also check the position of your nipple, advises the NHS.
If it gets pulled in or starts to point in a different way than usual, it could be a sign of breast cancer.
Another warning sign to get checked by your GP is discharge from either nipple.
Discharge is more common in ductal carcinoma in situ, an early form of breast cancer that begins in the milk ducts.
Cancer research says the discharge can also be stained with blood.
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world, affecting more than two MILLION women each year
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. Each year there are more than 55,000 new cases in the UK and the disease claims the lives of 11,500 women. In the US, it affects 266,000 people and kills 40,000 each year. But what causes it and how can it be treated?
What is breast cancer?
It comes from a cancer cell that develops in the lining of a duct or lobule in one of the breasts.
When the breast cancer has spread to surrounding tissue, it is called ‘invasive’. Some people are diagnosed with “carcinoma in situ,” where no cancer cells have grown beyond the duct or lobule.
Most cases develop in people over the age of 50, but younger women are sometimes affected. Breast cancer can develop in men, although this is rare.
Staging indicates how big the cancer is and whether it has spread. Stage 1 is the earliest stage and stage 4 means the cancer has spread to another part of the body.
The cancer cells are graded from low, which means slow growth, to high, which means fast growth. High-grade cancers are more likely to come back after being treated first.
What Causes Breast Cancer?
A cancerous tumor starts with one abnormal cell. The exact reason why a cell becomes cancerous is unclear. Something is thought to damage or alter certain genes in the cell. This makes the cell abnormal and multiply ‘out of control’.
Although breast cancer can develop for no apparent reason, there are some risk factors that can increase the risk, such as heredity.
What Are the Symptoms of Breast Cancer?
The usual first symptom is a painless breast lump, although most are not cancerous and are fluid-filled cysts, which are benign.
The first place where breast cancer usually spreads is the lymph nodes in the armpit. When this happens, you get a swelling or lump in an armpit.
How is breast cancer diagnosed?
- Initial assessment: A doctor examines the breasts and armpits. They may perform tests such as a mammogram, a special X-ray of the breast tissue that can indicate the possibility of tumors.
- Biopsy: A biopsy is when a small sample of tissue is removed from an area of the body. The sample is then examined under a microscope to look for abnormal cells. The sample can confirm or rule out cancer.
If you are confirmed to have breast cancer, further tests may be needed to assess whether it has spread. For example, blood tests, an ultrasound of the liver or a chest x-ray.
How is breast cancer treated?
Treatment options that may be considered include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and hormone treatment. Often a combination of two or more of these treatments is used.
- Surgery: Breast-conserving surgery or removing the affected breast, depending on the size of the tumor.
- Radiotherapy: A treatment that uses high-energy beams of radiation aimed at cancerous tissue. This kills cancer cells or prevents them from multiplying. It is mainly used in addition to surgery.
- Chemotherapy: A treatment for cancer using anticancer drugs that kill cancer cells or prevent them from multiplying.
- Hormone treatments: Some types of breast cancer are affected by the “female” hormone estrogen, which can stimulate cancer cells to divide and multiply. Treatments that lower the level of these hormones or prevent them from working are commonly used in people with breast cancer.
How successful is the treatment?
The outlook is best in those who are diagnosed when the cancer is still small and has not spread. Surgical removal of a tumor at an early stage can then give a good chance of a cure.
Routine mammography offered to women between the ages of 50 and 70 means that more breast cancers are being diagnosed and treated at an early stage.
For more information visit breastcancernow.org or call the toll-free helpline on 0808 800 6000