Breast Cancer: What You Should Know

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The Facts

  • Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in Ireland, (excluding non melanoma skin cancer). However, the number of breast cancer cases is on the increase.
  • Every year around 4,036 female cases are diagnosed and 747 women die from the disease in Ireland.
  • Around 30 men in Ireland are diagnosed with breast cancer each year with approx 9 deaths.
  • Breast cancer is most common in women from 50 years onwards but it can be diagnosed at a younger age.
  • 1 in 7 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.
  • Breast cancer, when caught early, has a survival rate of 89%, but is the most common cancer in women in Ireland.
  • If you are worried about your risk of breast cancer, contact your family doctor.
  • Breast cancer survival rates are continuing to increase each year.

What is breast cancer?

The breast is made up of millions of cells. Breast cancer develops when a single cell or group of cells begin to multiply out of control and forms a tumour. The breasts consist of fatty tissue and lobules that are connected to the nipple by ducts. Breast cancer usually starts in cells that line a duct or lobule. Sometimes cells can break away and travel to other parts of the body, starting new tumours. You can find out more about the breasts and the lymphatic system here.

Risks of getting Breast Cancer

This section is about things that affect the risk of breast cancer. Even if you have one or more of the risk factors below, it doesn’t mean you will definitely develop breast cancer.

Breast cancer is not fully understood but we do know some of the risk factors that increase a woman’s chance of getting breast cancer. Knowing about these risks can help you to take important steps to look after yourself.

Key Risk Factors

  • Being born female – The female hormones estrogen and progesterone can promote breast cancer cell growth.
  • Starting your periods at a younger age or having a late menopause increases the risk of breast cancer.
  • A family history – Women who have relatives with breast cancer have a higher risk of developing the disease themselves. Risk increases with the number of close relatives diagnosed. But even so, almost nine out of 10 breast cancers occur in women with no close relatives diagnosed with the disease.
  • Getting older – The risk of developing breast cancer goes up with age. The older you are, the greater your chances of developing the disease. Around four out of five breast cancers occur in women aged 50 and over.
  • Hormones and reproduction – The female sex hormone, oestrogen, can affect the development of breast cancer. Many of the things that affect the risk of breast cancer can be explained through their effect on hormone levels. Taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or oral contraceptives (also known as the pill) increases the risk of breast cancer. But HRT is an effective treatment for menopausal symptoms, and the pill also reduces the risk of ovarian and womb cancers. If you are considering starting or stopping HRT or the Pill, or if you have any concerns, see your doctor.
  • Having no children – Having children and breast feeding both lower the chances of developing the disease. The more children a woman has, and the younger she is when she has them, the lower her risk.
  • Having dense breasts – Breast density is one of the strongest independent risk-factors for developing breast cancer, stronger even than age or family history, with women with ‘extremely dense’ breast tissue being four-to-six times more likely to develop breast cancer compared to women with ‘mostly fatty’ breasts. High breast density can also have the effect of ‘masking’ breast cancers, as they also show up as white on a mammogram, and are thus more difficult to see.

You can find more detailed information about the risks of breast cancer here.

Be breast aware

One of the most important things that you can do for your health is to get to know your breasts. Breast cancer is one of the most common female cancers so it is important to look after your breasts by being breast aware. Being breast aware means getting to know how your breasts look and feel so you know what is normal for you. You can then feel more confident about noticing any unusual changes.

Women themselves find most lumps. Remember that most breast lumps are not due to cancer but you don’t know if you don’t ask.

Even though it is uncommon, men can also get breast cancer so they need to be breast aware too.

What to look out for?

  • Any lumps, thickening or bumpy areas in the breast or armpit that seem different from other breast tissue. This is very important if it is new.
  • Any changes in the size, shape or feel of the breast (it may be normal for you to have one breast larger than the other).
  • Changes to the nipple, such as crusting, ulceration, bleeding or a change in the direction or shape of the nipple.
  • An unusual discharge from one or both of your nipples.
  •  Veins that are standing out more than usual for you.
  •  Any puckering, dimpling or redness of the skin of the breast.
  •  Swelling in your armpit or around your collarbone.
  •  Pain or discomfort that is new to you and felt only on one side.

How can I be breast aware?

Breast awareness means becoming familiar with your breasts and how they look and feel at different times of the month. Try to get used to looking at and feeling your breasts regularly. By doing this you will be able to notice any changes that aren’t usual for you.

Use times like having a bath or shower to notice how your breasts look and feel. Running a soapy hand over your breasts and armpit helps you to feel the texture of your breast more easily. You may notice that your breasts change in size, shape or in how they feel at different times of the month.

Your breasts may become lumpier or more tender around the time of your menstrual period, for example. As you become familiar with your breasts you’ll become more confident in knowing what is normal for you.

Highlighting Triple Negative Breast Cancer 

TNBC is a subtype of breast cancer that accounts for around 15 % of all breast cancers.

TNBC gets its name from the fact that its cells do not have receptors for the hormone’s oestrogen, progesterone or a protein called Her2.

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype of breast cancer that lacks the three main receptors that are typically found in breast cancer. This means TNBC is more difficult to treat than other types of breast cancer.

Irrespective of stage at TNBC diagnosis, it is known to have the lowest survival rate of all breast cancer subtypes.

Around 1 in 8 breast cancers are triple negative in Ireland. TNBC is more common in younger women occurring most frequently in women between the ages of 40-50.

TNBC is associated with a poorer prognosis due to the higher likelihood of early recurrence of disease particularly in the first 5 years of diagnosis. The most common sites of metastases for TNBC include lung, brain, and liver.

Breast Cancer Information

Some useful Breast Cancer resources…

01

What You Should Know

A summary of the signs and symptoms, advice on how to check your breasts and an overview on how breast cancer is diagnosed and treated.

Learn more
02

Risk Factor

Read about the factors that can increase or reduce your risk of breast cancer.

Learn more
03

Symptoms

Information on the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, how to check your breasts and what to do if you find something.

Learn more
04

Prevention

We can take steps to reduce our breast cancer risk.

Learn more
05

How To Check Your Breasts

Find out what to look and feel for.

Learn more
06

Diagnosing Breast Cancer

Find out about seeing your GP, referral to a specialist and tests you might have.

Learn more
07

Your Breasts

Find out about the structure of the breasts and about the lymphatic glands.

Learn more
08

Inflammatory Breast Cancer

This page has information about diagnosis, treatment and side effects.

Learn more

Check Monthly

One week after the end of your period is the best time. If you have reached the menopause, check your breasts on the same day every month.

Look For Changes

Stand in front of a mirror with your hands in the air. Look for changes in size or shape, puckering, dimpling or redness of the skin.

Feel For Changes

Using your fingers, check for any lumps, thickening or bumps.

Areas Not To Forget

Gently squeeze the nipple to check for discharge. Check your armpit as breast tissue also extends here.

Talking

Breast Cancer

This season we are talking about breast cancer. Helen Forristal, Director of Nursing services at the Marie Keating Foundation hosts this informative and impactful 5-episode patient-led series.
This season focuses on open and honest discussions with two groups of women. Three women living with Metastatic breast cancer and two women Surviving and thriving after localized breast cancer. These women share valuable insights from their unique experiences at every step of their journey. They share what they wish they knew and what they want others to know that may be hugely supportive to anyone newly diagnosed.
This season we are letting the patient voice take the lead. Season 4 is for patients by patients.
With thanks to our co-sponsors…
Season 4

Talking Breast Cancer

Here’s a sneak peek at what to expect from this series of The Marie Keating Foundation Talks Breast Cancer!

Season 4

Episode 1: Breast Cancer in Ireland

Talking Breast Cancer Season 4 Episode 1 : Breast Cancer in Ireland

This series we are talking Breast Cancer and letting the patient voice take the lead. Season 4 is for patients, by patients. We are kicking it off in episode one by setting the foundations of Breast Cancer in Ireland.

In this episode Director of Nursing, Helen Forristal talks to CNS, Niamh Byrne and ANP, Carol Spillane from The St James Hospital Breast care clinic.

The topics covered include, Facts, stats and background to Breast Cancer in Ireland. Signs and Symptoms, when to go to your GP, Family History, Influence of Covid and so much more valuable information.

Season 4

Episode 2: A discussion with two women about living with and beyond a Localised Breast Cancer Diagnosis

From here onwards we let the patient voices take the lead.

In this episode we talk to Erica Tierney and Paula Gleeson from The Marie Keating Foundation Survive and Thrive community about living with and beyond a localised breast cancer diagnosis.

This episode covers a wide range of valuable information that stems from the lived experiences of these women.

We discuss, at diagnosis what would they like women or men to know that they did not know back then?
Treatments, the benefits versus risks, family history, choices, trauma, follow up, support services and so much more.

Season 4

Episode 3: Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer

In this episode we have the privilege of talking to three women from The Marie Keating Foundation Positive Living Community, Aine Murphy, Deirdre Digan and Lisa Dowling. These women will take us through their unique experiences living with metastatic breast cancer and want the listeners to understand what it means to have an incurable cancer. They will also enlighten us on what they would like women and men to know that they did not know.

They will talk us through diagnosis, treatment, risks, family history, communication, clinical trials, counselling, palliative care, nutrition, and exercise, going back to work and so much more in this incredibly impactful conversation.

Season 4

Episode 4, Part 1: Survivorship and Living with and Beyond Cancer

We have reached the final episode of this series There is so much valuable information in this episode that we have made it a 2 Part.

What a journey we have been on discussing every step of a breast cancer journey. In these episodes we are continuing with the patient voice as we discuss survivorship, living with and beyond cancer and how the women we spoke to in this series have learned to live their best lives despite cancer.

Each offers valuable insight and advice from their own unique experience culminating in conversations packed with information for anyone facing a similar journey or those with family, friends or work colleagues facing a breast cancer journey. These episodes cover topics like returning to work, need for public education, chemotherapy, symptom tracking, such as fatigue, pain, peripheral Neuropathy. We discuss weight loss and gain, sexual function, menopause, depression, hair loss, trauma and so much more.

They will talk us through diagnosis, treatment, risks, family history, communication, clinical trials, counselling, palliative care, nutrition, and exercise, going back to work and so much more in this incredibly impactful conversation.

Season 4

Episode 4, Part 2: Survivorship and Living with and Beyond Cancer

A continuation of the important conversations started in Part 1.

How to reduce your risk of breast cancer

Learn more about how you can reduce your risk of breast cancer.

Be a healthy weight

Being overweight or obese after menopause increases the risk of breast cancer. If you are overweight, try to reduce your intake of sugary and processed foods and eat more fruit and vegetables.

Limit alcohol

Research consistently shows that drinking alcohol increases your risk of breast cancer. The more alcohol you drink, the greater your risk. Women are recommended to have 11 units or less of alcohol a week, and no more than 2 units a day. Try to have days where you consume no alcohol at all. If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer you should consider giving up alcohol.

Get active

Most studies indicate that physically active women have a lower risk of developing breast cancer than inactive women. The more often and longer you exercise, the less your risk of developing breast cancer. Aim for 30 to 60 minutes per day of moderate- to high-intensity physical activity.

Breast feed

Breastfeeding lowers the risk of breast cancer, especially in premenopausal women. Mothers who breastfeed for a total of one year over the total of their lifetime are slightly less likely to get breast cancer than those who have never breastfed.

Check Your Breasts

Unfortunately there is little we can do about some risks associated with breast cancer apart from being aware of them. But you can be aware of breast changes to look out for.  It is important to attend for breast screening tests with BreastCheck when you are invited. You should also check your breasts once a month, looking and feeling for any changes.

Don’t smoke

Smoking is linked to a higher risk of breast cancer in younger, pre-menopausal women. Research has also shown that there may be a link between very heavy second-hand smoke exposure and breast cancer risk in post-menopausal women.

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