WITH about 55,000 people diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the UK, someone close to you may be at risk.

NHS England in Cheshire, Warrington and Wirral is supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month this month, and is advising the public to be breast aware.

In the UK, breast cancer is the second most common cause of death from cancer in women, and around 12,000 people die from breast cancer each year. Early detection is the best possible chance of survival and key to this is recognising the signs.

Being ‘breast aware’ means getting to know what’s normal for your breasts - how they look and feel, and how they change at different times of the month.

There is no such thing as a standard breast and what is normal for one woman may not be for another. If you know how your breasts normally look and feel, it’s easier to notice any unusual changes.

A simple self-examination once a month can alert you to any abnormalities. Use the pads of your fingers to examine your breast tissue, move around your entire breast in a circular motion and the tissue that extends towards your arm pit.

Changes to look for when carrying out a breast exam include any change in the size, shape or feel of your breast, any new lumps or thickening in one breast or armpit, puckering, dimpling or redness of the skin, or any changes in the position of the nipple or nipple discharge.

Dr Kieran Murphy, Medical Director, Cheshire, Warrington and Wirral area team, in NHS England, said: “Each woman is an expert on their own body – the changes you go through or anything new and out of the ordinary. Therefore being ‘breast aware’ is about taking care of you and a part of that is self-examination.

“If you find a lump or notice anything different, make an appointment with your GP as soon as possible.”

NHS England in Cheshire, Warrington and Wirral commissions a breast screening programme for women aged 50 - 70. As part the programme, women receive an invitation for a mammogram once every three years.

A mammogram is an x-ray which can detect small changes in breast tissue which may indicate cancers which are too small to be felt either by the woman herself or by a doctor At present, the NHS is piloting an extended screening programme to include women aged 47-49 and 71 -73.

All breast screening programmes in Cheshire, Warrington and Wirral are part of the age extension pilot.