Check Yourself: Here are 8 signs and symptoms of breast cancer to watch out for

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and over the past few weeks, we’ve been working with Breast Cancer Ireland to spread awareness and encourage year-round support for a cause we’ve all got some connection to.

No matter how many times you read the statistics, they continue to be incredibly staggering. One in nine women in Ireland will develop breast cancer in the course of their lifetime. We have 3,700 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed each year. Only five to ten per cent of breast cancer cases are hereditary. The incidence of male breast cancer is one in 1,000.

Thanks to the work of charities like Breast Cancer Ireland, increased awareness and more breast screening, survival rates in Ireland have increased by 85%. These positive steps can also be seen in the dropping fatality rate, which has decreased by two per cent annually, giving us all a well-needed feeling of relief. But we cannot stop here.

As we know, the risk of breast cancer increases as we age, with 23% of women being diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, 34% between the ages of 50 and 69, and 36% from the age of 70 onwards. We need to be aware of the warning signs so that we can catch things early and ensure good breast health consistently.

Below are 8 signs and symptoms that we should all be aware of…

1. Puckering of the skin of the breast
2. A lump in the breast or armpit
3. A change in the skin around the nipple or nipple discharge
4. Dimpling of the nipple or nipple retraction
5. An unusual increase in the size of one breast
6. One breast being unusually lower than the other, leaving the nipples at different levels
7. An enlargement of the glands
8. An unusual swelling in the armpit

Bookmark them, screenshot them, and memorise them, because being aware of these warning signs can help to save lives.

Find out more about the work of Breast Cancer Ireland and see how you can show your support through donations right here.

We’ve teamed up with Breast Cancer Ireland to giveaway a €200 Pennys voucher. Enter for your chance to WIN here.

Featured image via Rebekah Vos on Unsplash