Once your breast has been correctly positioned, an X-ray will be taken that produces a clear image of the inside of your breast. See your GP straight away if you experience these types of symptoms.

Most women who get it (8 out of 10) are over 50, but younger women, and in rare cases, men, can also get breast cancer. In some cases, radiotherapy or chemotherapy may be used for the same purpose. Discharge, rash or dimpling? Some of these you can't do anything about, but there are some you can change. It's important to give yourself time to come to terms with any changes to your body. If you have symptoms and have been referred by your GP, you'll meet a specialist who'll examine you to determine if you need further tests. These symptoms are often caused by other, non-cancerous illnesses, but it's important to see your GP so they can investigate. The types of test you could be offered are discussed below.

A genetic mutation is a permanent alteration in the DNA sequence that makes up a gene.

Breast Cancer Now is a breast cancer charity that provides an online forum for anyone diagnosed with breast cancer. For example, you could ask about the advantages and disadvantages of particular treatments. If you have problems with sex that aren't getting better with time, you may want to speak to a counsellor or sex therapist. Accessed at https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/patient/breast-treatment-pdq on July 23, 2019. Michael Green, a consultant oncoplastic breast surgeon at Ramsay Healthcare UK, told Express.co.uk: "It's about being aware of what is normal for an individual and confident in noticing any changes, including the normal hormonal changes with a woman's period.". You can be reassured that there are several forms of support available, if you need it. Your breasts are made up of thousands of tiny glands (lobules), which produce milk. There are two main methods of breast reconstruction – reconstruction using your own tissue and reconstruction using an implant. Breast cancer can have several symptoms, but the first noticeable symptom is usually a lump or area of thickened breast tissue. If it's treated early enough, breast cancer can be prevented from spreading to other parts of the body. It can be given a few weeks after surgery to prevent the cancerous cells returning. This means it's not suitable if you have a heart problem, such as angina, uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension), or heart valve disease.

Compared with women, men tend to have low levels of oestrogen, but there are circumstances that can increase the levels of oestrogen in men.

In some cases, part of the muscle under the breast may also be removed if there's a risk the cancer has spread to this area. An ultrasound scan uses high-frequency sound waves to produce an image of the inside of your breasts, in the same way an unborn baby can be seen in the womb.

The lump is almost always painless.

Breast cancer survival prediction tool. Stage 4 – the tumour is of any size and the cancer has spread to other parts of the body (metastasis). A mammogram is a type of X-ray used to help determine whether there are any changes in breast tissue that could be the result of cancer. As with tamoxifen, there's little available evidence about the most effective length of dosage in men, compared with female breast cancer. Cancer Research UK also provides Cancer Chat, an online forum for anyone affected by cancer. After you've finished the course of chemotherapy, your ovaries should start producing oestrogen again. Trastuzumab can cause side effects, including heart problems. As the likelihood of getting breast cancer increases with age, all women who are aged 50 to 70 and registered with a GP are automatically invited for breast cancer screening every three years. It can be used to treat breast cancer and reduce the chances of developing the condition in the small number of women from high-risk families.

Other possible symptoms of breast cancer include: Although any of these symptoms can be caused by things other than breast cancer, if you have them, they should be reported to a health care professional so the cause can be found. The reason for this isn't fully understood, but it may be due to interactions between genes, nutrition and hormones.

The ovaries, where your eggs are stored, begin to produce oestrogen when you start puberty, to regulate your periods. Don't be afraid to ask for practical help from family and friends. The survival rates for breast cancer in men largely depend on how far the cancer has spread before it's diagnosed.

Breast cancer symptoms vary widely — from lumps to swelling to skin changes — and many breast cancers have no obvious symptoms at all. Read more about waiting times for cancer referrals and treatment. You can help reduce your risk of cancer by making healthy choices like eating right, staying active and not smoking. This is thought to be linked to the amount of oestrogen in your body, because being overweight or obese after the menopause causes more oestrogen to be produced. This is known as "hormone therapy".

About one in eight women are diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime.

You may also find it useful to talk to other men affected by the condition.

Read more about recovering from an operation. It's important to be aware of any unexplained changes to your body, such as the sudden appearance of a lump, blood in your urine, or a change to your usual bowel habits.

This is known as "biological" or "targeted" therapy.

It might also increase your chances of having extra tests and interventions, including surgery.

Some people find it helpful to talk to other people who have breast cancer, either at a local support group or in an internet chatroom. When your breast cancer is diagnosed, the doctors will give it a stage. If you had radiotherapy to your chest area for Hodgkin lymphoma when you were a child, you should have already received a written invitation from the Department of Health for a consultation with a specialist to discuss your increased risk of developing breast cancer. Chemotherapy is usually given as an outpatient treatment, which means you won't have to stay in hospital overnight.

During the coronavirus outbreak the way you recieve treatment and attend appointments is likely to change. The risk of developing breast cancer increases with age.

Breast cancer is often divided into non-invasive and invasive types.

Ovarian suppression involves using a medication called goserelin, which is a luteinising hormone-releasing hormone agonist (LHRHa). Physician Data Query (PDQ). Tamoxifen is one of the hormone-blocking medications widely used for breast cancer. See treating lymphoedema for more information. What cancer patients, their families, and caregivers need to know about the coronavirus. According to the NHS, the discharge could be bloodstained. Either tamoxifen or raloxifene can be used in women who've been through the menopause, but only tamoxifen should be used in women who haven't. Trastuzumab is given through a drip, directly into a vein (intravenously). These advances were discovered in clinical trials, where new treatments and treatment combinations are compared with standard ones. This is a common non-cancerous condition where male breast tissue becomes enlarged. Also known by the brand name Herceptin, it is usually used after radiotherapy or chemotherapy to prevent cancerous cells returning.

Radiotherapy uses controlled doses of radiation to kill cancer cells. However, like all operations, there's a risk of complications, and having your breasts removed can have a significant effect on your body image and sexual relationships.

It can also be used in cases of advanced breast cancer to slow down the spread of the cancer. Reconstruction can be carried out at the same time as a mastectomy (immediate reconstruction), or it can be carried out later (delayed reconstruction). Although most cases of breast cancer occur in women over 50 who have experienced the menopause, some younger women have to cope with early menopause brought on by cancer treatment.

This plan contains the details of your follow-up. After it's healed, you'll be offered a silicone prosthesis. Some women react positively, but others find it more difficult to cope. Chemotherapy is used to treat cases of breast cancer where hormone therapy would be largely ineffective because the cancerous cells are not oestrogen receptor positive (ER+). If many lymph nodes are surgically removed, it can disrupt the lymphatic system's ability to drain fluid, which can lead to swelling. The image will highlight any lumps or abnormalities that may be present in your breasts. order back issues and use the historic Daily Express