Breast cancer remains the most common cancer in the UK, but almost half (46%) of women do not check their breasts regularly or have never checked them at all.
That’s according to new research carried out by BreastCancerNow, which found that the main reason women don’t check more often is simply because they forget.
More than 50,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year and spotting the symptoms early can give women the best chance of survival.
So in light of the results, the charity is launching a new app to remind us all to self-check regularly.
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The research also found that awareness of the signs and symptoms of breastcancer has grown steadily over the last few years thanks to campaigns like BreastCancerNow’s TLC (Touch Look Check).
Despite this, in a sample of almost 2,000 women, 43% admitted forgetting to check their breasts while 37% said they are not in the habit of checking.
Those between 18 and 24 check themselves the least (39% check regularly compared to 46% nationally) and London has the smallest proportion of women checking regularly (38%), while the North West has the highest number in Britain (55%).
Baroness Delyth Morgan, CEO at BreastCancerNow, said the results are a real cause for concern.
“While we’re proud of the progress that we’ve made over the last decade since we started running our TLC campaign, these results are worrying,” she said.
“We all lead busy lives and, while it’s understandable that checking your breasts can easily get forgotten, spotting cancer early can make the difference between life and death, which is why we’ll keep reminding women how important it is.”
BreastCancerNow is making it as easy as possible for women to remember to check themselves with the launch of the new Breast Check Now app.
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Breast Cancer Now
The free app aims to help women get into the habit of checking their breasts regularly by setting up a plan that’s easy to remember and fits with their daily lives.
As well as including all the information women need on the potential signs and symptoms to look out for, the app gives you regular reminders and enables you to keep a record of your checks to help you learn what’s normal for you and to see if anything changes.
Baroness Morgan added: “Our free Breast Check Now app makes it easy to remember to check - you just set a plan for yourself that fits with your life. We believe if every woman regularly checked her breasts, 1,500 lives a year could be saved.
“Checking your breasts is simple, quick and easy, and you decide how often feels right. The main thing is that you do keep doing it.”
For further information about the free Breast Check Now app visit breastcancernow.org/breastchecknow and to download the app search ‘Breast Check Now’ in Google Play or the App Store.
Breast Cancer Signs And Treatment
What Are The Symptoms?(01 of10)
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"A new painless, firm breast lump with irregular margins is a potential symptom of breast cancer," says Dr. Sandhya Pruthi, a breast cancer researcher at the Mayo Clinic. "The cancer diagnosis is confirmed following a biopsy of the lump." She notes that usually, women who are newly diagnosed with breast cancer are healthy and don't feel sick at all. (credit:LarsZahnerPhotography via Getty Images)
Other Symptoms(02 of10)
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Another potential symptom/sign of breast cancer, Pruthi notes, is a new onset of persistent redness on the skin overtop the breast with an orange peel appearance. This would also need a biopsy to confirm a diagnosis of breast cancer. (credit:Image Source via Getty Images)
Metastatic Cancer Symptoms(03 of10)
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"If the cancer is very advanced (metastatic) then the symptoms may also include weight loss, bone pain, headaches, nausea and persistent cough," Pruthi says. (credit:pamela burley via Getty Images)
What Are The Risk Factors?(04 of10)
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Some commonly associated risk factors, Pruthi says, are menstruation before age 11, menstruation after age 54, a first pregnancy after age 35 and a family history of relatives diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer. (credit:AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)
Are There Any Lifestyle Risk Factors?(05 of10)
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"There is evidence in the literature that obesity after menopause, lack of regular exercise, consuming greater than more or more alcoholic beverages daily, and a high fat diet can all be associated with a higher breast cancer risk," Pruthi notes. But, she points out, "women need to know that any woman can get breast cancer even in the absence of any of these risk factors." (credit:Adrian Samson via Getty Images)
Can I Eat Anything To Prevent It?(06 of10)
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There are no specific types of diets, Pruthi says, but rather women are encouraged to eat fruits, vegetables, fibre, and minimize their alcohol and fat intake, as well as get regular exercise. (credit:lola1960 via Getty Images)
How Do Doctors Determine Treatment?(07 of10)
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"The most current treatment of breast cancer has taken on a individualized approach and is dependent on the biology or aggressive features of the breast cancer," Pruthi explains. "Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease and this means that are many sub-types and different degrees of aggressiveness. So staging, which typically takes into account common prognostic features such as tumour size and if lymph nodes are involved, are no longer the only factors doctors use to determine treatment options." (credit:Christopher Futcher via Getty Images)
So What Do They Look At?(08 of10)
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"Today the biology of the tumour is also characterized by molecular markers (also known as predictive markers) such as if the estrogen or progesterone receptor is positive or negative and if the HER 2 protein is positive or negative," she says. "This helps decide who will benefit from a specific chemotherapy regimen, hormonal medications known as antiestrogens or who may need both chemotherapy and hormonal treatment." (credit:BluePlanetEarth via Getty Images)
What About Preventative Mastectomies?(09 of10)
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"Preventive mastectomy is an option for women at very high risk for developing breast cancer because they are BRCA 1 or 2 gene positive or if someone has hereditary predisposition to getting breast cancer but chooses not to have the genetic testing done," Pruthi says. "It is prudent that women who are considering this surgery know their family history in detail. Based on the moderate or strong family history, your doctor would recommend you meet with a genetic counselor to go over the family pedigree and help decide who should test for the breast cancer gene, when to test and how to interpret the genetic test results before proceeding with this preventive surgery." (credit:Jesús Jaime Mota via Getty Images)
Are Other Preventative Treatments Available?(10 of10)
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"High risk women who have had precancerous breast biopsies or strong family history may also be eligible to take preventive medications such as tamoxifen, raloxifene or exemestane to reduce breast cancer risk," Pruthi adds. (credit:art-4-art via Getty Images)