Breast Cancer

Find out about the risk factors and symptoms of breast cancer in both women and men

Who is at risk of breast cancer?

There are many breast cancer risk factors for women and men which include both lifestyle and genetic factors. More than 55,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year in the UK, with approximately 400 of those being men. This means that 1 in 7 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.

The key breast cancer risks include:

Age
Reproductive history
Hormones (oestrogen)
Breast density
Previous breast disease
Family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer
Genetic inheritance
Lifestyle Factors
Radiation exposure

We explore some of the risk factors in more detail below:

Age

Age is the biggest risk factor in breast cancer (after gender), with older women being much more at risk than younger women. This is why the NHS screening programmes start at the age of 50, or 47 in some regions.

Reproductive history

There are many factors related to reproductive history which affect the risk of breast cancer. The age of a woman when she starts her periods, begins menopause and the number of children she has can all impact the chances of having breast cancer.

Women in developed countries have a higher risk of breast cancer, largely as a result of the later age of their first pregnancy, having lower numbers of children and less breastfeeding.

Hormones

Hormone therapies, such as HRT and some high-dose oestrogen-only oral contraceptives, have been found to cause a slight increase in the risk of breast cancer. In both cases, the risk is temporary and will decline over a period of years after the treatment is stopped. If you have concerns regarding your breast cancer risk, then discuss the optimal use of HRT or oral contraception with your GP.

Breast density

Breast density is strongly related to breast cancer risk, and breast tissue that is denser presents a higher risk. Breast density does have a significant inherited component but can also be affected by weight, menopause and the number of children a woman has.

Family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer

If you have a mother or sister who has had breast cancer, your risk factor is higher than that of a woman with no family history. The risk increases further if your relative was diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 40. If there are more than four female 1st or 2nd-degree relatives within a family who have had breast cancer, there may be a genetic mutation of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. Women with this mutation have a 50-80% chance of developing breast cancer before the age of 70.

Male risk factors

Men at risk of breast cancer include those with a high oestrogen levels, exposure to radiation, a family history or recognised breast cancer gene in the family, obesity, chronic liver conditions, and a rare genetic condition called Klinefelter's syndrome.

Lifestyle factors

A number of changes to your lifestyle can help reduce your risk of breast cancer including:

Early childbirth
Number of births
Breast feeding
Being physically active
Healthy diet
Avoiding obesity
Moderate alcohol intake

Radiation exposure

Radiation contributes towards the risk of breast cancers by 1%.

What should you look out for? What are the symptoms of breast cancer?

Breast awareness is about becoming familiar with how your breasts look and feel, whatever your age, so that you can increase your chances of spotting breast cancer symptoms early.

Your breasts may change at different times during the month and as you get older, but if you are breast aware, you will recognise the changes.

Symptoms to look out for:

A breast lump or thickening in the breast which is different to the rest of the breast tissue
Continuous breast pain in one part of the breast or armpit
One breast becomes larger or lower/higher than the other breast
A nipple becomes inverted or changes shape or position
Changes in the skin of your breasts including puckering or dimpling
Swelling under the armpit or around the collarbone
A rash on or around the nipple
Discharge from one or both nipples

The breast awareness five-point code:

1. Know what is normal for you

2. Look at and feel your breasts to look for any recent changes

3. Know what changes (such as breast lumps or thickening) to look for

4. Report any changes to your GP or breast specialist without delay

5. Have routine breast screening from age 47+

Male Symptoms

The most common symptom of breast cancer in men is a unilateral firm lump in the breast tissue deep to the nipple. This is nearly always painless and other symptoms may include:

Oozing from the nipple (a discharge) that may be blood-stained
Swelling of the breast
A sore (ulcer) in the skin of the breast
A nipple that is pulled into the breast (called nipple retraction)
Lumps under the arm

How to reduce your risk

A number of changes to your lifestyle can significantly reduce your risk of breast cancer including:

Having children, especially at a younger age, and breastfeeding
Reducing your weight if overweight or obese
Increasing your physical activity
Reducing your alcohol intake
Avoiding HRT or oral contraception where possible
Having regular breast cancer screening from age 40+, depending on your risk

Be Breast Aware

How to reduce your risk of breast cancer

A number of changes to your lifestyle can significantly reduce your risk of breast cancer including:

Having children, especially at a younger age, and breastfeeding

Reducing your weight if overweight or obese

Increasing your physical activity

Reducing your alcohol intake

Avoiding HRT or oral contraception where possible

Having regular breast cancer screening from age 40+, depending on your risk

Why should I get tested?

Fortunately, long-term survival rates have increased during the last 20 years as a result of increased breast awareness, breast screening, and the introduction of rapid access to one-stop diagnostic clinics.

If breast cancer is detected early, there is a very good chance that it can be treated successfully.

Although rarer, male breast cancer can be more complex and often presents at a more advanced stage. As with women, the single biggest risk factor for breast cancer in men is increasing age. Most cases of male breast cancer are diagnosed between the ages of 60 and 70.

How can I get tested? What are the tests available and how does it work?

Different types of tests for women and men include;

Ultrasound

The main diagnostic tool used in the clinic is ultrasound imaging which uses sound waves to produce pictures of the internal structures of the breast. Ultrasound is primarily used to help diagnose breast lumps or other changes the consultant breast surgeon may detect during your clinical breast examination. Ultrasound is safe, painless, non-invasive, and does not use radiation.

Mammograms

These involve taking an x-ray picture of each breast and can detect cancer at an early stage before changes can be felt in the breast by you or your doctor.

Check4Cancer offers private mammograms for breast cancer diagnosis. Mammography is specialised medical imaging that uses a low-dose x-ray system to see inside the breasts.

NHS breast screening programme

In the UK, women aged 50–70 are invited to attend breast screening every three years as part of the NHS Breast Screening Programme. To access NHS breast screening services you can call your GP or contact your local breast screening service, click here to find out more.

Find out more

Why do you have to be a certain age to access screening?

Cancer screening is available at ages when the benefits are greatest, and the harms are smallest. These ages are determined by research and clinical guidance to ensure the benefits of screening outweigh the risks to individuals.

People who are at a younger age than the screening age limits are generally at a lower risk of cancer so for this group, the harms of screening would outweigh the benefits.

If you are experiencing any symptoms, screening is not suitable for you so please contact your GP as soon as possible to discuss your symptoms.

What if I am at higher risk and below the age limit for screening?

If you have been found to be at a higher risk for a particular cancer type, it is still important for you to be aware of this information. This could be as a result of your family history and/or your lifestyle factors. If you have a strong family history of a particular cancer you should speak with your GP to see if you are eligible for earlier NHS screening.

If your lifestyle factors are increasing your risk, you can visit the Education Hub to access information and guidance around possible ways to reduce your risk.

You can still access breast cancer screening if found to be of ‘Average Risk’

If you are found to be of ‘Average Risk’ from your MyCancerRisk questionnaire and you are aged 40, then you can choose to pay for a screening mammogram. This is not something you have to do, as based on your risk score, you are not at a higher-than-average risk of developing cancer. However, if you choose to purchase a screening mammogram, you will receive a discounted rate and our screening mammogram service provides you access to fast-track imaging through our nationwide clinic network.