Breast cancer: a five-minute guide for patients, relatives, and loved ones
01 October 2026
Last reviewed: 01 October 2026
As with any cancer diagnosis, being told you or someone you love has breast cancer is devastating news.
However, breast cancer survival rates have risen sharply in recent decades, according to the World Health Organisation, and Cancer Research UK figures show that more than 75% of those diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK today survive for at least 10 more years.
Whether you're coming to terms with a breast cancer diagnosis, or simply want to know more about the disease, our short guide covers everything from how to spot breast cancer to the treatment options available, as well as the steps you can take to reduce your chances of being affected.
What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer occurs when abnormal cells in the breast grow and form tumours.
These cells usually start growing inside the milk ducts and/or the milk-producing lobules of the breast, before spreading into nearby breast tissue causing lumps or thickening.
Early-stage breast cancer can be treated effectively and is rarely life threatening. But if left unchecked, breast cancer tumours can spread throughout the body and become fatal.
Did you know?
What causes breast cancer?
Breast cancer is caused by DNA changes in the affected cells.
In healthy cells, DNA gives instructions to grow, multiply, and die at a set rate and time. In cancer cells, meanwhile, the instructions change, causing more cells to grow and telling them to live longer.
It is the resulting excess of cells that can form a mass called a tumour, which - untreated - can go on to invade and destroy healthy body tissue.
But why do these DNA changes happen to some people and not others? There's no simple answer. However, researchers have found certain factors that can increase the risk of developing breast cancer.
These include:
- Age - your risk of developing breast cancer increases as you get older
- Family history/genetics - you're more likely to get breast cancer if a parent or sibling has already had it
- Obesity - breast cancer is more common among people who are overweight
- Excessive alcohol intake - too much alcohol can up your risk
- Smoking - cigarettes increase the risk of breast, as well as other forms of cancer
- Hormones - although some hormonal changes, such as having a pregnancy, can reduce the risk of developing breast cancer
What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
Symptoms of breast cancer can include:
- A lump or thickening in the breast
- A change in the size, shape, or appearance of the breast
- Dimpling, redness, or pitting of the skin
- A change in the appearance of the nipple or areola
- Discharge from the nipple
- A lump in the armpit
Good to know
Breast lumps can develop for lots of reasons - and most are not cancerous. However, it's always worth having a lump in your breast checked by a medical professional as your chances of surviving breast cancer are much higher when the disease is caught early.
What treatment is available?
The best type of treatment for breast cancer depends on the underlying causes of the breast cancer, how advanced it is, and your general state of health.
In most cases, however, treatment will involve surgery, radiotherapy, and/or medication.
Surgery
Depending on the size of your cancer, and whether it has spread, you may be advised to undergo:
- A lumpectomy - to remove just the cancerous tissue
- A mastectomy - to remove the whole breast
- A sentinel node biopsy - to remove affected lymph nodes
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy is used to treat residual microscopic cancers left behind in the breast tissue and/or lymph nodes and minimise the chances of cancer recurring on the chest wall.
With early-stage breast cancers, it can also be used to allow the patient to avoid having a mastectomy.
Medication
Medication such as hormonal therapies, chemotherapy, or targeted biological therapies can be effective against many forms of breast cancer. The type of medication you are offered will depend on the type of cancer you have.
The 4 stages of breast cancer
- Stage 1: the cancer is small and only in the breast tissue - and potentially the lymph nodes close to the breast.
- Stage 2: the cancer is either only in the breast or has spread to nearby lymph nodes but is no more than 5cm in size.
- Stage 3: the cancer has spread from the breast to the lymph nodes, the skin of the breast, or the chest wall.
- Stage 4: the cancer has spread to another part of the body such as the liver or lungs.
Why do some people have a higher risk of getting breast cancer?
The genetic and lifestyle factors listed above are not the only circumstances that can increase the risk of breast cancer.
Women with a history of breast conditions such as lobular carcinoma in situ, also called LCIS, and atypical hyperplasia of the breast, for example, may be more prone to developing breast cancer.
Certain inherited gene mutations, such as those in the genes BRCA1, BRCA2 and PALB-2, can also greatly increase your breast cancer risk.
Women affected by these mutations include actress Angelina Jolie, who famously elected to have both her breasts removed to avoid developing breast cancer.
Know your numbers
How can I reduce the chances of developing breast cancer?
If you have a high genetic risk of breast cancer, you can consider preventative measures such as:
- Oestrogen-blocking medicines, which are also used as hormone therapy treatment for breast cancer
- Surgery to remove your breasts (prophylactic mastectomy) or your ovaries (prophylactic oophorectomy)
Other ways to lower your risk of breast cancer include:
- Regular breast cancer screening - ask your GP when to begin breast cancer screening
- Getting to know your breasts - examining your breasts regularly makes it easier to spot changes such as a new lump
- Cutting back on alcohol - try to stick to government alcohol intake guidelines
- Exercising - aim to do at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week
- Maintaining a healthy weight - your GP can suggest ways to reduce your weight if necessary
Advanced treatments and improved detection techniques mean a breast cancer diagnosis need not be as scary as it used to be, for most people. But while stage 1 breast cancer has an almost 100% survival rate, this falls to closer to 30% for the disease when it reaches stage 4.
So, keep checking those breasts! And if you're worried about breast cancer, improve your odds by making some healthy lifestyle changes.
About the author
Jessica Bown is a freelance writer and journalist.
