No. Many breast lumps are non-cancerous, including cysts and fibroadenomas. However, every new lump should be assessed by a healthcare professional to identify its cause.

Arrange a medical appointment promptly. Tell your doctor when you noticed it, whether it has changed, and whether you have any nipple, skin or underarm changes.

Yes. Both harmless and cancerous lumps can be painless. Pain, size or how a lump feels cannot reliably tell you whether it is cancer.

Yes. Hormonal changes can make breasts feel more tender or lumpy. A new, distinct lump or a change that persists should still be checked.

Assessment may include a breast examination, ultrasound or mammography, and sometimes a biopsy. The tests depend on your age, symptoms and examination findings.

Breast pain alone is unlikely to be caused by cancer. However, persistent pain or pain with a lump, nipple change or skin change needs medical assessment.

Hormonal changes can cause tenderness, heaviness or aching before a period, often in both breasts. This usually improves when the period ends.

Possible causes include pregnancy, menopause, certain medicines, infection or strain in the chest, shoulder or back. A healthcare professional can help identify the cause.

A well-fitting, supportive bra may help. Ask a doctor or pharmacist about suitable pain relief, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking other medicines.

Seek urgent medical advice if your breast is red, hot or swollen, particularly with fever or chills. A hard lump, bloody nipple discharge or new skin dimpling also needs prompt assessment.

A mammogram is a low-dose X-ray of the breast. It can detect changes that are too small to feel and help investigate symptoms such as a lump.

Screening mammography checks people without symptoms. Diagnostic mammography investigates a symptom or an abnormal screening result and may involve additional images.

The breast is compressed briefly to obtain clear images. This can feel uncomfortable or painful. Tell the radiographer if you are uncomfortable so they can support you.

Avoid deodorant, powder, lotion and perfume around your breasts and underarms that day. Tell the imaging team about breast implants, symptoms, and any possibility of pregnancy.

No. Additional images, ultrasound or a biopsy may be needed to clarify a finding. Most people recalled after screening are not diagnosed with breast cancer.

A breast biopsy removes a small sample of cells or tissue for laboratory examination. It helps determine whether an area is benign, cancerous or needs further assessment.

Scans can show an unusual area but cannot always identify it with certainty. A biopsy provides information that helps your doctor make a diagnosis and plan care.

No. A biopsy is a test to find out what a change means. Many biopsies show non-cancerous conditions.

A core needle biopsy usually uses local anaesthetic to numb the area. You may feel pressure, followed by some bruising or soreness. Tell the clinician if you feel pain.

Follow the clinic’s instructions about dressings, bathing and activity. Contact the team if bleeding does not stop with firm pressure, or if redness, swelling, pain or fever develops.

No. Some confirmed benign lumps can be monitored. Surgery may be considered if a lump grows, causes symptoms, has uncertain findings or requires treatment based on its diagnosis.

A lumpectomy removes the cancer with a surrounding margin of tissue while preserving most of the breast. A mastectomy removes the breast tissue. The recommendation depends on your individual situation.

Yes. Many people with early-stage breast cancer can have breast-conserving surgery, usually followed by radiotherapy. For suitable patients, survival is comparable to treatment with mastectomy.

Checking nearby lymph nodes helps doctors understand whether cancer has spread and guide further treatment. Not everyone needs the same number of lymph nodes removed.

No. Reconstruction is a personal choice. Depending on your treatment plan, it may be possible immediately or later. You can also discuss an external breast prosthesis or choosing a flat chest.

Treatment may include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy or immunotherapy. Your team recommends a combination based on the cancer and your overall health.

No. The decision depends on factors such as cancer type, stage, tumour features and expected benefit. In some cases, additional tumour tests help guide this decision.

Hormone therapy blocks hormones or reduces their production to treat hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. It is different from hormone replacement therapy used for menopausal symptoms.

Targeted therapy acts on specific features of cancer cells, such as HER2. Immunotherapy helps the immune system attack cancer. These treatments are suitable for particular breast cancer types.

Treatment before surgery can shrink a tumour and show how it responds. This may make surgery easier or help guide the treatment recommended afterwards.

Recovery varies with the operation, reconstruction and your general health. Some activities resume within weeks, while fuller recovery may take longer. Follow your surgical team’s individual advice.

Some soreness, swelling and altered sensation can occur. Tell your team about pain that is worsening, difficult to control or persistent so it can be assessed and treated.

Return gradually, following your team’s advice. Recommended arm and shoulder exercises can help mobility, but heavy lifting and strenuous activity may need to wait.

Contact your surgical team promptly for fever, increasing wound redness, discharge, worsening pain or new swelling. Sudden chest pain or breathlessness needs emergency medical care.

Lymphoedema is swelling caused by a build-up of lymph fluid, sometimes after lymph node treatment. Report new swelling, heaviness or tightness in your arm, hand, breast or chest early.

Screening can find breast cancer before symptoms develop. It also has limitations, including missed cancers, false alarms and detection of cancers that might never have caused harm.

The starting age and frequency depend on local guidelines and your personal risk. Discuss a screening plan with your doctor, particularly if you have a significant family history.

It can. Your doctor may recommend risk assessment, genetic counselling or earlier screening. Some people at high risk need MRI in addition to mammography.

No. Knowing your usual breast appearance and feel helps you notice changes, but it does not replace recommended screening. Report any new changes to a healthcare professional.

Have it checked rather than waiting for your next screening appointment. Mammograms cannot detect every cancer, and a new lump, nipple change or skin change needs assessment.