Hays Recruitment

Normal breast changes throughout life

The female breast will go through various normal changes over the course of a lifetime. Many of these changes are driven by hormones. They can be related to the menstrual cycle, pregnancy or the normal aging process. Most breast changes are not cancer, however, if you do notice an unusual breast change, it is important that you speak with your doctor so that it can be checked as soon as possible.

Normal breast changes throughout life include:

Breast changes during pregnancy: During pregnancy, the breasts go through different changes in preparation for breastfeeding after birth. The areola surrounding the nipple will grow larger and become darker. The lobules (milk glands) of the breast increase in size and number. They also begin to produce milk so a mother can breastfeed her baby.

Effect of hormonal changes on breasts: As women develop from pre-puberty through puberty, pregnancy and to menopause, the breasts will be affected by a variety of fluctuations in hormones.

During puberty, hormones produced by the ovaries (such as oestrogen)  cause growth and development of the breast. After puberty, the hormones oestrogen and progesterone will change throughout a woman’s monthly menstrual cycle. This may cause women to have swollen or tender breasts at different times of the month.

 uring pregnancy the body will produce additional oestrogen and progesterone, which trigger further growth and development of the breast to prepare mothers for breastfeeding.

Around the time of menopause (perimenopause), the ovaries stop producing female hormones including oestrogen. Without oestrogen, the breast tissue decreases in size. After menopause (post-menopause), monthly menstrual periods stop.

Mens Health Week - Prostate Cancer

Men's Health Week - Breast Cancer

With Mens Health week taking place this week, I have chosen to focus and shed some light on the importance of early detection for men around breast cancer and also prostate cancer.

It may come as a surprise to learn that men can develop breast cancer. Though it is uncommon, breast cancer does occur in men. In Australia, about 1% of breast cancer cases each year are in men.

Men, like women, have breast tissue. Although women have a lot more breast tissue than men and are more likely to develop breast cancer, cancer can also develop in male breast tissue.

Over 200 men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in Australia, and the majority of these men will be diagnosed after the age of 50. With an aging population, it is likely that the number of men diagnosed with breast cancer will continue to increase.

It is important that men speak with their doctor as soon as possible if they notice any new or unusual breast changes and understand the symptoms of breast cancer which can be found via this link; Symptoms of breast cancer 

Breast awareness and early detection

https://nbcf.org.au/about-breast-cancer/detection-and-awareness/

It is important to be aware of how your breasts normally look and feel, so that you can identify any unusual changes. Symptoms of breast cancer will depend on where the tumour is, the size of the tumour and how quickly it is growing in the breast. Some people will not have any symptoms and the breast cancer is found during a screening mammogram (a low dose x-ray of the breast).

What are the symptoms of breast cancer? Click the below link

https://nbcf.org.au/about-breast-cancer/detection-and-awareness/breast-cancer-symptoms/

Early detection gives the best possible chance of survival, so it is important to be breast aware to ensure that you can spot any changes as soon as they appear.

Get ready, Hays are going pink.

Hi everyone, it’s Cassidy here and on Monday 19th June, Hays have made a pledge to WEAR PINK and raise funds for world-class research into effective prevention, detection and treatment of breast cancer which has the potential to save thousands of lives. Breast Cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer amongst women in Australia and almost 20,000 women and men will be diagnosed this year. That’s 57 Australians every single day and a further 9 will lose their life.

For myself, having inherited the familial BRCA2 gene mutation which is present in my paternal family, this is a very important cause which I hold close to my heart. Having lost my great grandmother, grandmother and second aunt to breast cancer, along with further diagnoses of family members, breast cancer is certainly a familiar and unfortunate occurrence within my family. As a BRCA2 gene mutation carrier, the lifetime risk for me developing breast cancer is around 70% as opposed to 12% for women in the general population. As part of my risk management and due to my family history this includes commencing breast screening at the age of 25 as opposed to 50 years of age for those in the general population, as well as undergoing a risk-reducing bilateral mastectomy at the age of 40 if not before, which for me is quite daunting. However, I am using this as an opportunity to help raise awareness for women around early detection, as-well as becoming familiar with the look and feel of your breasts and seeking early advice where you feel necessary.

Every donation, big or small, will get us closer to reaching our goal and helping the National Breast Cancer Foundation end deaths from breast cancer. I hope you all can join me in rocking a pink fit on Monday 19^th June!