For many people, the first sign of breast cancer is a lump in the breast. Most breast lumps are benign, but you should still make an appointment with your GP if you notice one. Screening with a mammogram can also detect breast cancer before a lump appears.
Other symptoms include:
- A lump or thickening in your breast. This will feel different from the rest of your breast tissue.
- Discharge or bleeding from your nipple. The discharge is new and isn’t milky.
- A change in the look or texture of your skin. Your skin might be red, puckered or look dimpled like the skin of an orange.
- Inflammation or a rash on or around your nipple. There may be redness, a rash or crusting on your nipple or around it.
- A change to your nipple. This might be a change to its shape, or if it becomes sunken or inverted.
- A lump or pain in your armpit. You might notice a lump in your armpit or feel pain there.
- A change in the size or shape of your breast. You may notice this more so when you move your arms.
The causes of breast cancer aren’t fully understood, but there are several risk factors that can increase your likelihood of developing it. These include:
- Being over 50 years old
- Having close relatives with breast cancer or ovarian cancer
- Previous breast cancers or lumps
- Exposure to estrogen
- Use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or the contraceptive pill for long periods of time
- Being overweight
- Drinking alcohol
- Having very dense breasts or a previous biopsy in the past
We offer a comprehensive range of tests for suspected breast cancer, including:
- Mammogram
- Ultrasound
- Core biposy
- MRI scan
- PET-CT scan
- Nuclear bone scan
- DEXA scan
If you are diagnosed with breast cancer, you can undergo all treatment at the Cromwell Hospital Integrated Cancer Campus. We provide some of the latest, most advanced treatments for breast cancer, delivered by an expert team of oncologists, nurse specialists and other supporting healthcare professionals. Our multidisciplinary team ensures that each patient’s case is carefully reviewed, and a bespoke treatment plan is designed.
Mr Ragheed Al-Mufti
/ Consultant in Breast and Endocrine Oncological and Reconstructive Surgery
Breast surgery
Clinical interests: Breast surgery, breast reconstruction, endocrine surgery, gynaecomastia, and retrosternal goitres.
Languages spoken: Arabic/English
Clinical interests: MRI breast imaging, breast radiology
Languages spoken: English
Clinical interests: Oncoplastic reconstructive breast surgery, implant-based reconstruction and therapeutic/reduction mammoplasty, contralateral symmetrisation and revisional surgery, benign and developmental surgery, and nipple and duct surgery.
Languages spoken: English
Clinical interests: Breast Cancer, One Stop Breast Clinics, Cosmetic breast surgery including breast implants, breast reduction and asymmetry correction, Male breast problems
Languages spoken: Bengali/English/Hindi/Tamil/Urdu
Clinical interests: Breast, prostate, kidney, bladder and testical cancers
Languages spoken: Bengali/English
Clinical interests: Diagnosis and management of benign breast diseases; breast cancer management; breast augmentation; oncoplastic breast surgery; reconstructive breast surgery; biomesh based breast reconstruction; breast implant surgery; complex corrective breast surgery; breast reduction surgery; surgery for gynaecomastia; day case general surgery procedures.
Languages spoken: Bengali/English/Hindi/Urdu
Clinical interests: Dr Conibear specialises in all the non-surgical treatments for both lung and breast cancers. He has expertise in chemotherapy, biological therapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, and state of the art radiotherapy techniques. These advanced delivery techniques include deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) for early breast cancer, Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT), Image Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT) and 4D-CT. Dr Conibear is also trained in using state of the art radiotherapy technologies including the ViewRay MRIdian MRI-guided linac, Accuray Cyberknife and Leksell Icon Gamma Knife. These technologies are used to deliver stereotactic ablative body or brain radiotherapy (SABR / SRS).
Languages spoken: English
Clinical interests: Systemic therapy for cancer including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy; personalised and precision oncology.
Languages spoken: English
Mr Giles Davies
/ Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon and Director of Breast Surgery
Breast surgery
Clinical interests: Breast cancer surgery, breast reconstruction, and aesthetic breast surgery.
Languages spoken: English
Clinical interests: All procedures in breast surgery (including sentinel node biopsy, breast reconstruction, and intra-operative radiotherapy) and breast cancer, including second opinions, surgical oncology, and melanoma.
Languages spoken: English/French/Greek/Italian/Spanish
