Breast Cancer Prevention Week

 

Know your normal

Breast Cancer Prevention Week is a national campaign led by Breast Cancer UK. It focuses on helping people understand their risk of breast cancer and what they can do to reduce it. Just as importantly, it’s a reminder of how important it is to spot changes early.

Breast cancer doesn’t just affect women. Men can get breast cancer too, so this message is for all our patients. The key is to get to know what’s normal for you. Checking your breasts or chest regularly helps you understand what looks and feels right for your body, making it easier to notice any changes. Try to check about once a month, in a way that works for you.

If you’re not sure what to look for or how to check, the NHS website has advice, including a short video showing how to check your breasts or chest and the symptoms to look out for

Breast screening is also an important part of early detection. NHS breast screening uses X-rays, called mammograms, to find cancers that are too small to see or feel. In the UK, women aged 50 up to their 71st birthday are invited every three years. 

Trans and non-binary people may also be eligible for breast screening depending on factors such as age, sex assigned at birth, hormone use and surgery.

Breast screening is free, and can help find problems early, when they’re easier to treat.

To support Prevention Week, we’ve created two short GP Talks videos - one for women and one for men. In these, Dr Laura Brennan and Dr Tom Ashley-Norman explain what to look out for, how to check, and when to get help, as well as what to expect from breast screening.

If you have any questions or need advice, please contact us.

Learn more

Published: May 14, 2026