Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, with around 56,000 women and 400 men diagnosed every year. The single biggest factor in surviving it is finding it early. The NHS five-year survival rate for breast cancer caught at Stage 1 is around 98%; for cancer caught at Stage 4, it is closer to 26%. The difference is overwhelmingly about how early the cancer is detected — and that, in turn, depends on whether women know what to look for and act on what they find.
This guide is built directly on NHS and World Health Organization (WHO) guidance. It is intended to help every woman recognise the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, understand which changes are usually harmless, and know exactly when to contact her GP. It is not a substitute for medical advice — but it is a starting point that could, for some readers, save a life.
The NHS Touch–Look–Check approach
The NHS recommends that all women become 'breast aware' — which simply means knowing how their breasts normally look and feel, so that any change can be spotted early. The recommended approach is called Touch–Look–Check (sometimes abbreviated TLC), and it does not require a formal monthly self-examination. Most women incorporate it into everyday activities — in the shower, when getting dressed, applying body lotion or after exercise.
TOUCH your breasts and underarms with the flat of your fingers, feeling for anything new or unusual — a lump, a thickening or an area that feels different from the rest of the tissue. LOOK at your breasts in the mirror with arms by your sides and then raised, watching for changes in size, shape, contour or skin appearance. CHECK for any of the warning signs listed in the next section, and contact your GP without delay if you find any.
There is no 'right' time of the month or 'right' technique. The aim is familiarity. The more familiar you are with your own body, the more quickly you will notice when something has changed.
The full list of breast cancer symptoms
The NHS lists the following changes as the main symptoms of breast cancer. None of them is, on its own, proof of cancer — most are caused by harmless conditions. But every one of them is a reason to contact your GP for a check.
- A new lump or area of thickened tissue in either breast, in the armpit, or near the collarbone, that was not there before.
- A change in the size, shape or contour of one or both breasts.
- Dimpling, puckering or 'orange-peel' changes in the skin of the breast.
- Redness or a rash on or around the nipple, or on the breast itself.
- Discharge from one or both nipples that is not breast milk — particularly if it is bloodstained, occurs without squeezing, or comes from one breast only.
- A nipple that has become inverted (turned in) when it was not before, or has changed in shape or position.
- Crusting, scaling or sores around the nipple that do not heal.
- Pain in one specific area of the breast or armpit that is persistent and not linked to your menstrual cycle.
- A change in the skin temperature, with one breast feeling unusually warm.
- Swelling of all or part of one breast, even if no distinct lump is felt.
Most breast lumps — perhaps 9 out of 10 — turn out to be benign (non-cancerous). Common causes include cysts, fibroadenomas (smooth, rubbery lumps that are common in younger women), and normal hormonal changes. But the only way to know for sure is to be examined. Never wait to see if a lump 'goes away on its own'.
Symptoms beyond the breast itself
Breast cancer can sometimes spread to the lymph nodes in the armpit (axilla) or above the collarbone before it produces an obvious symptom in the breast. A new, painless lump or swelling in either of these areas — even without a noticeable breast change — is a reason to see your GP. Persistent swelling or heaviness in one arm can also occasionally be a sign of lymph node involvement and should not be ignored.
More advanced breast cancer can produce symptoms elsewhere in the body if it has spread (metastasised). These can include unexplained bone pain (particularly in the back, hips or ribs), persistent shortness of breath, ongoing nausea or appetite loss, jaundice, or unexplained weight loss. These are non-specific symptoms with many possible causes — but in any woman with a history of breast cancer, or with concurrent breast changes, they should always be discussed with a doctor.
Breast cancer symptoms in men
Around 1 in 100 cases of breast cancer in the UK occur in men. Male breast cancer is rare, but the symptoms are largely the same as in women: a painless lump (most commonly behind the nipple), nipple discharge or bleeding, a nipple that has turned in, skin changes around the nipple, or persistent soreness. Because awareness is lower, men often present later than women — which is why early action on any of these signs is just as important. Any man who notices a breast change should contact his GP without embarrassment or delay.
What is normal — and what is not
Many women experience changes in their breasts that are entirely normal. Breast tissue is hormonally responsive: most women notice some lumpiness, tenderness or fullness in the days before a period, which then settles. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, hormonal contraception, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and the menopause itself all change how breasts feel and look. None of these changes is, by itself, a sign of cancer — and most cyclical breast pain has nothing to do with cancer at all.
What is not normal is a change that is new, persistent (lasting more than a single menstrual cycle), one-sided, or accompanied by any of the warning signs listed above. The general principle is simple: if a change is not behaving like your normal cyclical pattern, get it checked. The cost of a GP appointment for a benign lump is small. The cost of waiting six months on a cancer is, sometimes, life-changing.
When to see your GP
The NHS guidance is unambiguous: see your GP if you notice any change in your breasts that is not normal for you. You do not need to be sure it is something serious. You do not need to wait until your next routine appointment. You do not need a specific reason beyond 'I have noticed a change'. GPs are well used to assessing breast symptoms and never consider it a waste of time.
In particular, contact your GP urgently if you find any of the following:
- A new lump or thickening in your breast, armpit or near your collarbone.
- A change in the size, shape or skin of your breast.
- Bloodstained or unusual nipple discharge, particularly from one breast.
- A nipple that has become inverted or has changed in appearance.
- Persistent pain in one area of the breast that does not follow your normal cycle.
- Any visible skin change — dimpling, puckering, redness, rash or sores that do not heal.
What happens after you see the GP
If your GP thinks your symptoms could possibly be caused by cancer, they will refer you to a specialist breast clinic under the NHS two-week wait pathway. This means you should be seen by a breast specialist within 14 days of the referral. The vast majority of women referred under this pathway turn out not to have cancer — which is the system working as intended. The two-week wait exists because, when cancer is present, even short delays can affect treatment options.
At the specialist clinic — usually called a 'one-stop' breast clinic — you will typically have a clinical examination, imaging (usually a mammogram and/or an ultrasound), and, if needed, a needle biopsy on the same day. Many women receive a clear answer at the end of that single visit. Where further tests are needed, the breast care nurse assigned to you will explain what happens next and act as your single point of contact through the process.
Common myths about breast cancer symptoms
Several persistent myths cause women to delay seeking help. The NHS and the WHO have both published clear guidance correcting these.
'A breast lump that hurts can't be cancer.' This is not true. Most breast cancer lumps are painless, but some do cause pain — and pain alone never rules cancer out. Have any new persistent lump checked, with or without pain.
'I'm too young to have breast cancer.' Around 1 in 5 UK breast cancers are diagnosed in women under 50, and a small but real number occur in women in their 20s and 30s. Younger women are not invited for routine NHS screening, which makes recognising symptoms even more important.
'I had a normal mammogram last year, so a lump now must be nothing.' Mammograms catch most breast cancers but not all. A new symptom between mammograms always warrants a GP appointment, regardless of when your last screening was.
'There's no breast cancer in my family, so I'm not at risk.' Around 80% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no significant family history of the disease. Family history is one risk factor among many — its absence does not protect you.
Why early detection matters globally
What is true in the UK is true everywhere: the earlier breast cancer is detected, the better the outcome. But in much of the world — particularly in low- and middle-income countries — symptom awareness is still very limited, and women often present at an advanced stage when treatment options are far fewer. The WHO Global Breast Cancer Initiative has identified earlier diagnosis through symptom awareness as one of the highest-impact interventions available in low-resource settings.
This is the work that Breast Cancer Awareness exists to support: training community health workers, running awareness sessions in villages and underserved communities, and reducing the time between a woman noticing a symptom and receiving a diagnosis. The clinical message is the same here as it is anywhere — but the surrounding system that helps women act on that message is what we are working to extend to women in the world's poorest places.
