This test is very sensitive and can detect even tiny cancers. Being breast aware simply means being on the lookout for any changes in your breast any lumps, thickening, skin changes or nipple discharge and reporting them to your doctor immediately. The NHS breast screening programme offers mammography to all women aged 50 to 64 years every three years, whether they have lumps or not. You may also make use of the BUPA Health Screening facilities for regular mammograms. If you are diagnosed as having fibroadenosis or cyclical breast pain, a well-fitting bra and simple painkillers may be all that is needed.
Some women find that evening primrose oil improves their symptoms.
Breast cancer needs urgent treatment, so it is important that you see your doctor as soon as you notice a breast lump. The contraceptive pill may help if you have benign breast lumps or cyclical breast pain, but other hormone treatments are best avoided because they have unpleasant side effects. Some benign lumps are best removed to confirm the diagnosis and prevent them from enlarging any further. The best surgical outcomes occur when care is delivered by a specialist breast surgeon working in an integrated care team. The majority of breast lumps are not cancerous and can be easily treated or removed.