Breast Cancer Awareness

[Guest guest]

Are you at risk from cancer?

by ROSALIND RYAN, femail.co.uk

 

he very women who are most at risk of developing breast cancer are unaware

that they fall into this category, says a leading cancer charity.

 

A new survey conducted by Cancer Research UK has discovered that only 56 per

cent of older women are worried about breast cancer, but more than 80 per cent

of women diagnosed with the disease are over the age of 50.

 

Their results show that less than six per cent of women know that the risk of

developing breast cancer increases as they get older.

 

Campaigners say this lack of awareness is worrying as a delay in diagnoses

can cost lives.

 

The risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer is just one in 1,900 for women

under the age of 30.

 

But after the age of 50, this rises dramatically to one in 50 women. Four out

of five women diagnosed with breast cancer are post-menopausal.

 

Older women are also the least knowledgeable when it comes to checking for

signs of breast cancer.

 

Only 49 per cent feel they have a good understanding of the disease compared

with more than 60 per cent of younger women.

 

Professor Jane Wardle from Cancer Research UK, says, " It is worrying that

women have this misconception about such a common disease. Our research shows

that older women don't realise they are at risk and younger women are suffering

unnecessary anxiety. "

 

Researchers say one of the reasons for this misunderstanding is the fact that

breast cancer is often portrayed as a 'young' woman's disease.

 

Many of the celebrities used to promote breast cancer charities, such as

model Jodie Kidd, the Sugababes or TV presenter Kate Thornton, are in their 20s

and 30s.

 

This can mask the real problem and contributes to the ignorance amongst older

people that they are not at risk.

 

To help tackle the problem, Cancer Research UK and Help the Aged are calling

for more realistic images of women with breast cancer to be shown in the

media.

 

To emphasise this point, the celebrities supporting Cancer Research UK this

year include Mo Molam, Valerie Singleton and Claire Rayner.

 

Vicki Wharton from Cancer Research UK, says, " As the key age for women to

become aware of breast cancer is in their 50s - or post-menopause - this is the

age group to concentrate on.

 

" Using women in their 20s and 30s only reinforces the misconception that

older women are not at risk.

 

" The most important line of defence against breast cancer is the woman

herself. But if she is not aware she falls into a high-risk category, she may

not

examine herself regularly and could be putting her health at risk. "