Breast checks to detect breast cancer

Checking your breasts regularly is the best way to learn what your breasts look and feel like, so you can learn what is normal for you. This means you can notice changes as soon as they happen. Finding breast cancer early gives you the best chance of surviving the disease. It gives you more treatment options and helps prevent the cancer from spreading (called metastasis). If you notice any changes in your breasts, see your doctor as soon as possible.

It's important to remember that not all lumps are related to breast cancer, but it's important to see your doctor to be sure.

Based on current research, you don't need to use a special technique to check your breasts. Check your breasts regularly to get to know how they normally look and feel.

Take time to look at and feel your breasts, nipples, armpits, the area under your breasts and the area above your breasts up to your collarbone. Notice the colour, texture and shape of your breasts, and pay special attention to any new or unusual changes.

You should also be aware of any changes to your nipples, including any discharge. Lumps or other changes under your arms and under or over your breasts can be signs of breast cancer — don't ignore them. You may not feel any pain if you have breast cancer, so speak to your doctor if you notice anything unusual about your breasts or the area around them.

Look out for any changes in your nipples, breasts or the areas around them. These could be:

• new lumps or a feeling of 'lumpiness', especially any changes noticed only on one side
• a change in the size or shape of your breasts
• a change in the skin of your breasts such as redness, thickening, dimpling or a texture similar to the skin of an orange
• crusting, redness or an ulcer on the nipple or the area around it
• inversion of your nipple (if it points inward rather than outward)
• a nipple discharge that comes out without your squeezing
• a pain that doesn't go away

If you are a female aged 50 to 74 years, you should have a screening mammogram every 2 years. If you are a female aged 40 to 49 years or 75 years and older, you are also eligible for free screening mammograms.

Mammograms are the best early detection method available and can find small lumps before any symptoms appear. Remember that self-examinations should not replace routine screening mammograms.

Females who are at higher risk of developing breast cancer may need to have screening mammograms more often, or take other steps to reduce their risk. You can find out more about your risk of developing breast cancer by using the free online iPrevent (Opens in new tab) service from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

If you notice any changes to your breasts or the areas around them, see your doctor as soon as possible.

Everyone's breasts change as they get older, especially during puberty, pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopause, so sometimes it can be hard to know if a change is normal or not. By discussing all changes with your doctor, you can be sure you are keeping yourself as safe as possible from breast cancer.

If you are male, you can also develop breast cancer and should see a doctor right away if you notice anything unusual.

If members of your family have recently been diagnosed with cancer, ask your doctor about your risks. Your doctor will help you decide if you should attend a screening mammogram more often and may recommend other ways to reduce your breast cancer risk.

If your doctor is concerned that a change in your breasts might indicate cancer, they will recommend you have some tests. These could include:

• mammogram — an x-ray is used to check changes that are too small to be felt during a physical examination
• ultrasound — sound waves are used to create an image of the inside of your breast
• biopsy — a small piece of your breast tissue is removed by a doctor and checked under a microscope for signs of cancer

If these tests indicate you have breast cancer, your doctor may recommend other scans such as a computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan to see if the cancer has spread to other parts of your body. They may also suggest you see an oncologist, a doctor who specialises in treating cancer.

Your oncologist will work with you to assess the size and spread of your breast cancer in a process called staging and build a treatment plan personalised for you. They may recommend surgery to remove the cancer, together with some or all of your breast.

They may also recommend you have chemotherapy, radiotherapy or hormone therapy.

Having tests for breast cancer can be worrying for you and your family, and some people delay or avoid seeing their doctor because of this. It can be helpful to remember that early diagnosis of breast cancer increases your chances of survival and gives you the greatest number of treatment options.

For more information and support, try these resources:

• Visit Breast Cancer Network Australia (Opens in new tab) for a video guide to breast self-examination.
• Cancer Council has a breast cancer guide to best cancer care (Opens in new tab).
• Check your personal risk of developing breast cancer using iPrevent (Opens in new tab), a free online tool for assessing your cancer risk.
• Learn more about breast cancer risk factors (Opens in new tab).
• Discuss how breast cancer may be affecting your life with the help of a support worker at the Cancer Council (Opens in new tab) — call 13 11 20 for more information.

Languages other than English

• Cancer Council (Opens in new tab) has fact sheets about cancer awareness translated into several different languages. They also have a breast cancer guide (Opens in new tab) to best cancer care, available in different languages.
• Breast Cancer Network Australia has resources and support (Opens in new tab) in many community languages.

Information for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples

• Read about how breast cancer can affect Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples (Opens in new tab).
• BreastScreen NSW has videos and fact sheets for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (Opens in new tab).