The earlier breast cancer is diagnosed, the greater the chance that it can be successfully treated. It’s important that women know the signs and symptoms of breast cancer and check out any unusual changes with their GP as soon as possible.

Breast awareness simply means knowing what your breasts look and feel like normally, so you can be aware of any changes and check them out with your doctor as soon as possible. If cancer is diagnosed, prompt treatment offers the best chance of a successful outcome.

There is no need to follow a fancy routine for checking your breasts, just be familiar with how they look and feel so that you notice any changes. You can do this by looking and feeling in any way that makes you feel comfortable �?in the bath or shower, when dressing, standing or lying down. If you find anything unusual or are worried, you should talk to your GP.

Changes to look out for include:

• Size or shape - e.g. one breast might become larger or lower than the other
• Skin texture - such as puckering or dimpling of the skin
• Appearance or direction of the nipple - e.g. one nipple might become inverted (turned in)
• Discharge - one or both nipples might discharge a blood-stained liquid
• Rash or crusting of the nipple or surrounding area
• Lump in the breast or armpit
• Lumpy area or unusual thickening of breast tissue that doesn't go away after your period
• Pain in part of the breast or armpit that is unrelated to your periods

Remember that nine out of ten breast lumps are not cancerous. For more information on breast cancer visit our section About Breast Cancer on the Breakthrough Breast Cancer site.

Click here to test your knowledge on Breast Cancer »