How to check for the cancer affecting *1 in 7 UK women

October is the month where breast cancer is at the forefront of everyone’s minds and for good reason too. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK for women, with one in seven UK women developing breast cancer in their lifetime. A scary statistic (we know) but this is why awareness about this form of cancer is key in the fight against it. Read on to learn more about what to look out for, how to check yourself and spotting the signs.

Check your boobs!

Over a third (39%) of women in the UK do not check their breasts regularly for potential signs of breast cancer. By regularly checking your breasts for lumps you can help protect yourself against the risks of breast cancer. Here are the best ways to properly check your breasts, according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation:

• Stand in front of a mirror. Look at your breasts whilst standing up, look at your breasts with arms raised and also with your arms by your side. Check the outside of your breasts for any changes in texture or colour of the skin, particularly if these changes are on one side.
  
  
• When lying down, your breast tissue will spread out evenly along the chest wall. To check whilst lying down, place a pillow under your right shoulder and put your right arm behind your head. Using your left hand, move the pads of your fingers around your right breast gently covering the entire breast area and armpit. Use varying pressure and squeeze your nipple; check for discharge and lumps. Then repeat on your left breast.
  
  
• Checking your breasts in the shower can make it easier to feel for lumps. Use the flats of your three middle fingers to feel around these areas, pressing down with light, medium and firm pressure. Check each month each month feeling for any lump, thickening, hardened knot, or any other changes.

Checking your boobs regularly and making it a habit will mean that you’ll know what’s normal for you so you’re more likely to spot anything out of the ordinary on your body.

Keep an eye out

We’re not under any illusion that everyone checks their breasts regularly, it can be scary and it’s easy to ignore guidance. In fact, 11% of women do not check their breasts regularly due to being worried about finding a new or unusual change.

But in order to do the bare minimum to help yourself, you should at least be checking for any of the following signs which could indicate breast cancer:

• A lump or swelling in the breast, you might be able to see it but not feel it
• Changes in the size or shape of your breast
• A change in the texture of your skin e.g. dimpling of the skin
• Changing of the colour of your breast - it could be red or inflamed
• Rash, crusting or changes to the nipple
• Any unusual discharge, from either of your nipples

What to do if you find anything unusual

If you notice any of the above mentioned, the first port of call is to make an appointment with your GP as soon as possible. Not knowing what’s going on with your body is scary but putting it off can only make things worse and catching breast cancer early means you can get treatment sooner and have a better chance of survival.

Although it is key to look out for all of the above signs - every body is different and you know yours better than anyone. So if you notice any sort of changes in your body or something just doesn’t seem right then it’s better to be safe than sorry.

There’s some risks you can’t avoid

Prevention is key in the face of cancer, however, there are some risks that can not be prevented against, such as:

• Family history. Sadly, you cannot change the genes you’ve inherited from your loved ones. But if you find out that your family has a medical history of breast cancer then getting in touch with your GP is crucial as they can assess whether or not you may need extra screening.
• Age. Getting older is a certainty for all of us and with age, our risks of developing certain illnesses increases - 80% of breast cancers occur in women over the age of 50 and most men who get breast cancer are over 60.
• Being a woman. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the UK with one woman diagnosed every 10 minutes. Although this is a frightening fact, checking your body and watching for signs, as mentioned above, is one of the most important ways you can protect yourself against this cancer.
  
  

Every BODY

It’s a common misconception to assume that only women are affected by breast cancer. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth - breast cancer can affect every body. Although the statistics aren’t as scary, men can and do experience breast cancer, with around 370 new cases a year in the UK and around 85 men a year dying from this form of cancer.

If you’re male, examining yourself to check for breast cancer is just the same as how a woman is recommended to do it. Look out for the same signs as mentioned above and don’t feel embarrassed to go to your GP with concerns.

It’s not all doom and gloom

With awareness months sparking more conversations and encouraging people to be open about their health, it stops cancer from feeling like a ‘taboo’ topic. Talking honestly about our health should never feel awkward or embarrassing. So talk to your friends and family, check in and help break the stigma, you never know what someone is carrying on their back.

For those who find themselves facing breast cancer or know someone who is, you may find peace in knowing that breast cancer survival is improving and in the UK, it has doubled in the past 40 years. An estimated 600,000 people are alive in the UK after a diagnosis of breast cancer and is predicted to rise to 1.2 million in 2030.

Breast cancer and critical illness cover

Being diagnosed with any form of cancer, at any point in your life, is a monumental moment for anyone. However, this isn’t to say that cancer should define the way you live the rest of your life or your loved ones future.

Critical illness cover is a type of life insurance policy that can financially protect your loved ones if you were to be diagnosed with cancer or another illness defined within your policy conditions. This policy could also cover you against countless other well-known critical illnesses such as MS, heart attack, stroke, loss of sight, organ failure and so many more illnesses.

Each provider covers a different variation of illnesses but they typically cover the same main ones (as mentioned above)! If you want to find out more about what critical illness covers, click here.

How could a critical illness policy help?

If you were to be diagnosed with breast cancer or another critical illness, touch wood, then your critical illness policy would pay out a lump sum. The money from your cover could help with all sorts but some of the most notable things the money could help with are:

• Specialist care, depending on your illness
• Taking your family on a bucket list holiday
• Travel costs, if the care you need is further away
• Leaving funds for your loved ones to fall back on if the worst were to happen

There are other ways you can use the pay-out from this policy and after all, once you've made a successful claim, the money is yours to do what you want with it!

Sooner rather than later

Getting critical illness cover when you're younger means you’re more likely to have a clearer health history, resulting in cheaper life insurance premiums. Additionally, getting life insurance after battling cancer isn’t impossible but it can be more expensive and sometimes difficult to find. But these days, insurers are developing more and more to provide cover to those with a more complex health history.

At Caspian, we can help you find the right cover for you. Our life insurance experts will listen to your wants and needs in order to create a tailor made policy suited to you. What are you waiting for - get your free quote today!

The information in the blog is not medical advice nor a replacement for seeing a medical professional. If you are worried about breast cancer, please make an appointment with your GP.