Knowing what is normal for you is just as important after menopause because breast cancer becomes more common as you grow older. Many factors can cause changes in your breasts. The most common are normal hormonal changes related to your period, pregnancy or menopause, and changes due to ageing. Many women will experience some of these changes at some point in their lives. Only a small proportion of breast changes will be due to cancer.
Breast cancer begins as changes in some of the cells in the breast.
As the cancer grows, some of the cells may spread from the breast to other parts of the body. If the cancer cells are only in the breast and have not spread to other parts of the body, it is likely they can be completely removed and not be a threat to your life. When breast cancer is found early, before it has spread, women have a much greater chance of successful treatment and more treatment choices. See your GP about any new breast changes which are not normal for you. Most breast changes are not due to breast cancer.