FEEL & LOOK GOOD
YINKA EBO
WE WANT TO BREAK THOUGH
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month – a disease that claims the lives of 1,000 women each month in the UK alone. The Best You chatted with Yinka Ebo, the Health Information Lead at Breakthrough Breast Cancer to find out more. What is Breakthrough? Breakthrough Breast Cancer is the UK’s leading breast cancer research charity. We are determined to stop breast cancer from taking the women we love. Our cutting-edge research is focused entirely on breast cancer. We’re discovering how to prevent it, how to detect it earlier, and how to treat it more effectively. We’re taking on breast cancer at every stage and for every woman, learning how to control and outwit the disease so that, one day, we can stop it from taking lives.
How common is breast cancer? Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK. One in eight women will face it. Although more women are surviving breast cancer, sadly this month alone, 1,000 women will lose their lives to the disease.
No one knows your body better than you, and everyone will have their own way of checking their breasts
What are the early signs? Most women know that a lump is a sign of breast cancer but there are other signs and symptoms to look out for as well. At Breakthrough we believe that it’s as simple as Touch, Look, Check (TLC). These include changes to the size and shape of your breast, changes in
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skin texture, colour, nipple appearance or discharge. Breakthrough has produced a pocket-sized TLC guide – small and portable – which serves as a handy reminder to women to be breast aware. Being breast aware simply means knowing what your breasts normally look and feel like, being on the lookout for any unusual changes and getting them checked out by your doctor. For more information and to download a free TLC guide visit www.breakthrough.org.uk.
How often should women check their breasts? The earlier breast cancer is found, the better the chance of beating it. That’s why it’s so important to get to know what’s normal for you so it will be easier to spot any unusual changes. No one knows your body better than you, and everyone will have their own way of checking their breasts – there’s no special technique and you don’t need any training. You may normally feel breast tissue changes or pain before or during your periods. This is why it’s important to check your breasts regularly so you get to know how they look and feel at different times of the month and can notice any changes.
How often should you be invited for a mammogram? You should be invited to attend a breast-screening appointment every three years.