What's On News October 2018 Are you Breast Cancer aware?

News

Are you Breast Cancer aware?

Monday 15 October 2018

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month — highlighting a disease affecting around 17 000 women and 140 men each year. With early detection and intervention, treatment is highly successful.

Breast cancer represents approximately 28% of all cancers in women, and is the most common cancer found in Australian women outside of non-melanoma skin cancers [1]. In men breast cancer is much rarer, and accounts for less than 1% of all cancers [2].

Over time, early detection has led to increased survivorship for both men and women. Improvements in the quality and sensitivity of scans, diagnostic pathology, better awareness of changes to the breast precluding breast cancer, risk profiling, genetic testing, and constantly evolving treatments and therapies all playing a part in improved outcomes for patients.

Although some people experience no symptoms and are diagnosed through routine screening and mammograms, it’s important to encourage patients to look for and act on any changes or symptoms, which may include [1]:

• Lumps or thickening in the breast, especially if in one breast only
• Changes to the nipple including shape, sores or lesions, redness or crustiness, unusual discharge and inversion
• Skin changes such as dimpling, unusual redness or other colour changes
• Changes in the shape of the breast, or swelling and discomfort in the armpit
• Persistent and unusual pain inconsistent with usual menstrual changes.

The importance of community awareness and screening is emphasised by Mater Breast and Endocrine Surgeon Dr Chris Pyke, who tells us “Screening and early detection are invaluable  – with breast cancer an ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure”.

Mater is proud to have a diverse group of highly skilled breast surgeons operating at Mater Private Hospitals Brisbane, Redland and Springfield, working in collaboration with exceptional multidisciplinary teams to provide the utmost care for patients.

Specialised breast cancer care is available at Mater Private Hospitals available through Mater Private Breast Cancer Centre (South Brisbane), Mater Cancer Care Centres (Brisbane and Springfield), and at Mater Private Hospital Redland.