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Breast cancer awareness is low among UK women

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Breast cancer awareness is low among UK women

GPs are concerned that a significant proportion of women do not understand or heed breast cancer awareness advice, according to a new survey commissioned by BMI Healthcare.

The survey, conducted among more than 500 GPs in the UK, found that more than one in five did not think that the breast cancer awareness message, including the need to check regularly for signs and symptoms, had got through to their patients.

In addition, more than one in ten (12 per cent) of GPs said that women who had symptoms or concerns about breast cancer left it too late to see a doctor, while nearly half (45 per cent) thought that their female patients did not fully understand the risk factors for the disease, such as age, lifestyle and family history.

This was closely followed by the belief that a mastectomy is inevitable for breast cancer patients (42 per cent), breast cancer is incurable/terminal (25 per cent) and a lack of understanding about the importance of a fast diagnosis (19 per cent).

Monthly self-checks were rated by 34 per cent of GPs as the principal way to reduce breast cancer risks. This was followed by lifestyle improvements (32 per cent) and reporting symptoms quickly to a GP (20 per cent).

Nichola Evans, group director of oncology, BMI Healthcare said: “With almost 55,000 breast cancer diagnoses each year in the UK, there is no room for complacency or confusion among patients when it comes to being vigilant and reporting symptoms promptly to a GP.

“It is worrying to find that key breast cancer awareness messages are still not getting through to a significant proportion of the population and it is clear that more must be done to tackle the underlying issues.”

BMI Healthcare has launched a breast cancer awareness campaign in aid of Cancer Research UK, helping to further raise awareness of breast cancer. The healthcare company is encouraging women to download a breast cancer awareness guide to help them to be more breast cancer aware.

 

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