Health

Women Do Not Know How to Detect Breast Cancer

Especially the most vulnerable, those over 50

By Stefan Anitei, Science Editor

20th of September 2007, 18:21 GMT

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This is the most widespread cancer in women in the western world, touching about 30 % of them. Only in UK, 44,000 women are diagnosed annually and 1,000 die each month. About 20 % of the patients die in the next 5 years after being diagnosed.

The survival chances are decreased by the late diagnosis,

as many women do not know basic signs of breast cancer, as revealed by a survey made by charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

25 % of the interviewed women believed wrongly that a persistent cough represented a sign of breast cancer. 81% wrongly associated a mole on the breast with a symptom, while 30 % incorrectly connected an extra nipple to the condition.

The survey was made on 1,190 women aged over 50 and showed that 87% of them looked regularly for breast lumps. But knowledge of the full array of symptoms to be attentive with resulted deficient.

Only 10% look for inversion of the nipple, 14% for changes in the skin on the breasts, 16% for discharge from the nipple, 22% for changes in the nipple's look, 23% for changes in the breast's size or shape. Only about 50 % checked for lumps in the armpit.

50 % of women aged 70 and over did not know they can continue to receive free breast screening by making their own appointments through their GP, or local breast screening unit. 88% of women in this age category reported that since turning 70, their GP or surgery has abandoned this subject with them, but breast cancer vulnerability increases with the age and breast screening can detect cancer before it can be noticed by eyesight or by hand.

"It's clear that despite breast cancer now being the most common cancer in the UK, women remain extremely confused about what they should be looking out for - with their focus still very much on feeling for breast lumps. At the same time there appears to be misunderstanding amongst women aged 70 and over about whether they should continue breast screening," said Jeremy Hughes, chief executive of Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

TAGS:

breast | cancer | woman

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