Weston Area Health NHS Trust is proud to support the new NHS Be Clear on Cancer campaign to raise awareness of breast cancer symptoms in women aged 70 and over. According to the campaign running from 3 February to 16 March across England 1 in 3 women who get breast cancer are over 70 so don’t assume you’re past it.
The campaign also emphasises that a lump is not the only sign of breast cancer and women should tell their GP if they notice any changes to their breasts.
Breast cancer survival is lower in women aged over 70 than in younger women. Research shows that older women have low knowledge of non-lump breast cancer symptoms and are more likely to delay presenting to their GP with breast cancer. They might be embarrassed, afraid of treatment, unaware that they are more likely to develop breast cancer or dismissive of symptoms as a sign of ageing.
Around 41,500 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in England; of these around 13,500 are aged 70 and over. Breast cancer accounts for around 5,400 deaths in women in this age group in England annually.
Possible signs of breast cancer include a lump in the breast or armpit, nipple changes, changes to the skin of the breast, changes in the shape or size of the breast and pain in the breast or armpit.
As part of the campaign, adverts will appear on TV and in national newspapers and women’s magazines.
For further information about the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, please visit www.nhs.uk/breastcancer70
Read the Be Clear on Cancer Breast cancer leaflet here
http://www.nhs.uk/breast-cancer/Documents/BeClearOnCancer_BreastCancer_70plus_leaflet.pdf