Breast cancer: Why knowing what’s normal for you really matters

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month – a time when pink ribbons put breast health firmly in the spotlight. But awareness only matters if it prompts us to pay attention, ask questions and act when something changes.

Throughout Female Forward, HOT 102.7’s women’s health series curated by News Editor Tara Penny, breast-health specialists have shared a message that is both reassuring and important: breast cancer is not automatically a death sentence, and it is not only a disease of older women. Knowing your body, understanding your personal risk and seeking help when something doesn’t feel right can make an enormous difference.

Know what is normal for you

Prof Carol Benn, a surgeon with a special interest in breast health, says women shouldn’t assume they are protected simply because breast cancer doesn’t run in their family.

Genetics matter, but many women diagnosed with breast cancer do not have an obvious inherited risk.

“We want people to know their norm, examine their breasts and go for screening.” — Prof Carol Benn

Knowing your normal isn’t about becoming anxious about every change. Breasts naturally change through different stages of life. It is about becoming familiar enough with your body to recognise when something is new, different or persistent.

Never assume you’re too young

Radiologist Dr Peter Schoub has an equally direct message:

“Anyone can get breast cancer. If a woman or her doctor feels a lump, never hesitate. Always get it checked.”

Most breast lumps in younger women will not be cancer. But reassurance should come after appropriate assessment – not replace it.

Pathologist Dr Kirsten Fearnhead reinforces that message. While the risk of breast cancer increases with age, she sees the disease diagnosed across a wide age range, including women in their twenties and thirties.

A lump isn’t the only change that matters

A new lump in the breast or under the arm deserves attention, but Female Forward’s specialists highlighted other changes women shouldn’t ignore.

These include persistent thickening; a change in the size, shape or appearance of one breast; dimpling or puckering of the skin; a nipple that has recently changed position or become inverted; unexplained nipple discharge; persistent redness or swelling; or another new change that simply doesn’t settle.

You are not expected to diagnose yourself. You are simply noticing when something deserves a professional assessment.

Mammograms – and the “polar bear in the snow”

Mammography uses brief compression of the breast to produce clear images. But screening isn’t necessarily identical for every woman. Age, symptoms, individual risk and breast density can influence whether additional imaging such as ultrasound is recommended.

Dr Schoub has a wonderfully simple way of explaining why dense breast tissue can sometimes make abnormalities harder to see on a mammogram:

“It’s like trying to find a polar bear in the snow.”

It’s another reason to discuss your own breast health and risk profile with an appropriate healthcare professional rather than assuming one screening approach fits everyone.

If something is found, what happens next?

One of the most important lessons from Female Forward is that breast cancer is not one single disease.

Dr Fearnhead explains that when a biopsy is taken, the pathologist examines the tissue to help establish what type of cancer is present. That information becomes part of deciding how an individual woman should be treated.

And treatment has advanced significantly.

Breast surgeon Dr Sarah Nietz offers an important message of hope:

“Especially if breast cancer is detected early, we’ve got good outcomes and good treatment options.”

Treatment may involve surgery, medication before surgery, radiation, targeted therapy, hormone treatment or a combination of approaches. The right treatment and sequence depend on the individual woman and her cancer.

Breast cancer care should involve a team

Dr Schoub is unequivocal on this:

“No breast cancer should be treated outside of a multidisciplinary team.”

That team may include a breast surgeon, radiologist, pathologist, medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, reconstructive surgeon and psychological-support professionals. Together they can consider the cancer itself alongside issues such as fertility, reconstruction and the woman’s broader physical and emotional wellbeing.

Breastfeeding? Keep noticing changes

The “know your normal” message also applies during breastfeeding.

Maternal-health professional Linda Brits encourages women to become familiar with how their breasts normally look and feel as milk supply changes. A new lump, swelling, persistent painful area or another concerning change shouldn’t simply be assumed to be part of breastfeeding.

This October, make awareness personal

Breast Cancer Awareness Month gives us a reason to talk about breast cancer. Female Forward gives us a reason to turn that conversation into action.

Know your normal. Pay attention when it changes. Don’t dismiss something because you think you’re too young. Ask what screening is appropriate for you. And if something still doesn’t feel right, keep asking questions.

Because perhaps the most important breast-health message is also the simplest:

Your body is worth paying attention to.

Female Forward provides general health information and does not replace personalised medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you notice a breast change or are concerned about your individual breast-cancer risk, speak to an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.