Why find breast cancer early?
Finding breast cancer early means that you have more treatment options and your chances of survival are better. Survival is lower if the cancer has already spread outside the breast when it is diagnosed. As an example, about 9 out of 10 women whose cancer is diagnosed before it has spread outside the breast will be alive 5 years later. However, if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body at diagnosis, only about 2 out of 10 women will be alive 5 years later.
What can you do?
The best course of action depends on your age and other factors. For all women of all ages it is important that you know what you can do to find breast cancer early.
What happens if a breast change is found?
Most breast changes are not due to breast cancer. If, at any age, you have a change in your breast, you might need to have a number of tests, including some or all of the following:
- examination of your breasts by your doctor
- mammography and/or ultrasound
- a fine needle biopsy or core biopsy
For more information about the tests used to investigate breast changes click here.
