Breast cancer

What a GP needs to know about breast cancer, from incidence and risk through to diagnosis, treatment and follow up plans

Breast cancer: at a glance

  • Breast cancer is most common in women over the age of 50
  • NHS screening is offered to all women in the UK from ages 50-70
  • The symptoms can include palpable mass, unilateral nipple discharge, skin changes or a lump in the axilla (armpit).
  • Breast pain alone is very rarely a symptom of breast cancer
  • Around 85% of women diagnosed with breast cancer in England and Wales survive their disease for twenty years or more (2010-11).

What a GP needs to know