Breast cancer can affect anybody, and everybody is welcome in CoppaFeel!’s community. We’re actively inclusive in our language and we ask people how they want to be described.
The word ‘chest’ is inclusive of all bodies and genders. When we need to be clinically accurate we use the word ‘breast’. You might prefer to call your chest something else, and that’s ok!
Cancer is a condition that causes cells in the body to grow out of control. These cells form growths called tumours. Breast cancer is cancer that forms in breast tissue. Breast tissue is not only in the breasts, it goes all the way up to your collarbone and under your armpit. Everyone has breast tissue – people of all ages, races and genders.
If breast cancer is diagnosed early, it can be treated successfully – which is why we want to encourage you to check your chest every month and get to know your normal.
Breast cancer can affect anyone. In the UK, 1 in 7 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.
Around 55,500 women and around 400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the UK.
Breast cancer risk can be affected by age, family history and lifestyle factors. This includes obesity and smoking.
When we talk about ‘breasts’ we mean the breast tissue in the chest area. You might call this area your breasts, boobs, pecs or chest.
To understand breast cancer, it helps to understand a bit about the chest area. Breast tissue is different in women and men, but there are some similarities.
Your breast tissue is made from:
Lymph is a yellow liquid that flows through your lymphatic system, which runs throughout your body. Lymph collects waste from your tissue and drains these into your veins.
There are lymph nodes ( glands) around the breast. If cancer cells break away from your breast tissue, the lymph fluid can take them to lymph nodes. If you do have cancer, but don’t have cancer cells in your lymph glands, your cancer is less likely to have spread.
You can also have lymph glands in your armpit, called axillary lymph glands and your chest, called the internal mammary chain.
There are different types of breast cancer. Our friends at Cancer Research UK talk about the different types of breast cancer too.
DCIS means Ductal Carcinoma in Situ. It’s the earliest form of breast cancer. DCIS is when the cancer cells are still inside the parts of the breast where they first formed. These parts are called lobules or ducts. In DCIS, ‘in situ’ means the cancer cells have stayed in the lobules or ducts. DCIS might also be called:
– Non-invasive breast cancer
– Pre-invasive breast cancer
– Pre-cancerous change
– Intra ductal breast cancer
– Ductal intraepithelial neoplasia (DIN)
– Stage 0 breast cancer
Invasive breast cancer is the most common type of breast cancer. In the past it was also called invasive ductal carcinoma.
Invasive breast cancer means that the cancer cells have grown through the lining of the ducts into the surrounding breast tissue.
Invasive breast cancer starts as DCIS, but not every DCIS will turn into invasive breast cancer.
We do not know which DCIS cells will become invasive breast cancer, and which won’t. Most cases of DCIS are treated because it can become invasive breast cancer in the future.
DCIS is an early form of breast cancer, and it can be cured with treatment.
Primary breast cancer is breast cancer that has not spread outside the breast or the lymph nodes (glands in your armpits). There are several different types of primary breast cancer, and it can be diagnosed at different stages (stages 1 to 4).
Primary breast cancer is different from secondary breast cancer. Secondary breast cancer is when breast cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
Secondary breast cancer is when breast cancer spreads from the breast and lymph nodes (glands in your armpits) to other parts of the body. When cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it can form another tumour. This is called secondary cancer.
– Secondary cancer is also called:
– Stage 4 cancer
– Metastatic cancer
– Metastasis or metastases
– Advanced breast cancer
Breast cancer can spread to many parts of the body. The most common parts are:
– Bones
– Lungs
– Liver
– Brain
If breast cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it is still called breast cancer. For example, breast cancer that spreads to the bone is called secondary breast cancer in the bone.
Secondary breast cancer can be treated but not cured. Treatment for secondary breast cancer helps with symptoms and stops the cancer from spreading further. If you have secondary breast cancer, you’ll always have it. Breast cancer specialists will talk to the person about the different ways they can manage their symptoms.
A person living with secondary breast cancer will be involved in making decisions about their treatment and care. It’s important these decisions are right for the individual.
Our friends at Breast Cancer Now have more information about secondary breast cancer.
It is always important to contact your GP if you notice any changes to your chest that are unusual for you. The earlier breast cancer is found, the better.
If you’re worried about a potential sign or symptom of breast cancer. They can send you to the breast clinic where a breast specialist can give you a breast screening.
If they do send you to a breast clinic, this doesn’t mean you have breast cancer.
Breast cancer can start in different parts of your breast, more commonly:
The cancer cells can then spread to other parts of the breast, chest and body. Where the breast cancer starts can depend on the type of breast cancer you have.
The stages and grades of cancer are often confused.
Staging means how big the cancer is and whether it has spread. There are five stages of breast cancer:
Grading of cancer refers to how abnormal the cells and tissue look under a microscope:
You can read more on the stages and grades of breast cancer from our friends at CRUK.
Stage 4 cancer survival rates can depend on a few factors, like:
Stage 4 breast cancer is unlikely to be cured. However, treatment can often keep the cancer under control for many months or years.
Breast cancer is very rare in teenagers. We don’t have the data on the youngest age you can get breast cancer, but the best thing you can do is get to know your body and get to know your normal.
There is some evidence that younger people have more aggressive breast tumours, but early diagnosis can help make sure breast cancer is treatable.
Breast cancer is commonly a symptomatic cancer, which means there are obvious signs, so good breast awareness and monthly checking gives people the best possible chance of noticing breast cancer early.
If you have breast implants, our advice for checking yourself for breast cancer remains the same. You should check your breasts every month to learn what’s normal for you.
After the implant surgery, it may take a while to learn what the new normal is for you. You can find out more on checking your chest with implants.
Here are our top tips for checking with implants:
Having a bigger chest doesn’t necessarily increase your risk of breast cancer. There may be some evidence that increased breast density (thickness) can slightly increase breast cancer risk, simply because there is a greater area.
Research from Cancer Research UK shows that 23% of breast cancers can be prevented through lifestyle choices (CRUK, UK 2015), such as not smoking and reducing alcohol intake.
However, the 3 main risk factors for breast cancer are factors beyond our control:
Beyond those factors a healthy, balanced lifestyle can reduce the risk of breast cancer. You can find out more about lifestyle factors and breast cancer.
Breast cancer can affect people of all ages and genders, so it’s important to get to know what’s normal for your body and understand how it could change if you are physically transitioning.
We encourage chest checking in a way that feels comfortable for you. OUTpatients is an LGBTQIA+ cancer charity and we’ve worked with them to create resources for trans and non-binary people. Here you can find further resources for trans and non-binary people.
There isn’t one single reason for these differences. There are complex social, economic and cultural factors. This is in part due to a lack of awareness, representation and education in Black and Asian communities and some people may experience further delays when they are diagnosed.
CoppaFeel! are working to address these unfair and avoidable differences in health). We want to make sure our message reaches every young person and everyone has the best possible chance of surviving breast cancer.
Healthtalk.org has great information about who should visit their GP which talks about young people visiting the GP. Here is some of the information from the page:
Anyone can book an appointment with a GP if they feel able to do so. They don’t have to be over 16 and all consultations (appointments) are confidential (private). Appointments with the GP are confidential regardless of a person’s age. Doctors and nurses have very strict rules on confidentiality so that everything a patient tells them, their personal details and medical records are kept completely private…
If a patient is under 16 and doesn’t want to involve their parents, the doctor can treat them without telling their parents as long as the young person fully understands the choices they’re making.
When booking an appointment, you can request a chaperone. A chaperone is a person who is present usually during a physical examination and acts as a safeguard for all parties by witnessing continuing consent of the procedure.
You can also request a female GP if you would feel more comfortable speaking to a female.
We also have more information on what to expect when you contact your doctor.
Your doctor will probably want to examine your chest area. This might include your armpits and up to your collarbone. It can be helpful to wear loose clothing or separate top and bottoms.
It can feel embarrassing to talk to your GP about your chest, but they have seen it all before. Here are our tips for your GP appointment:
Write down when you first noticed the changes, and tell the GP.
If you have periods, write down when your last one was. The GP might ask.
Try to find out if anyone in your family has had breast cancer. The GP might ask you about that too.
– If you would prefer a female GP you can ask for this when you book the appointment. You can also ask to see a male GP if you prefer.
– Ask a family member or a friend to be with you for support.
– Write down any questions for your GP and take them with you to your appointment.
– Write down when you first noticed the changes, and tell the GP.
– If you have periods, make a note of when your last one was, as the GP might ask.
– Try to find out if anyone in your family has had breast cancer. The GP might ask you about that too.
Important:
From October 2023 in England, the Two Week Wait appointment process changed to the 28-day Faster Diagnosis Standard.
There are a few breast cancer myths. These things do not increase your risk of getting breast cancer:
– Using deodorants
– Wearing an underwired bra
– Having your nipple pierced
– Carrying a mobile phone in a pocket near your chest
– Injuring your chest area
Our health information has the PIF TICK quality mark, so you can trust and rely on it.
We updated this information in April 2024. We will look at it again in April 2027.