An awareness initiative by the English Department
العربيةWhat breast cancer is, the signs worth discussing with a doctor, and what health bodies advise about screening. Medical statements are quoted from the health bodies listed at the end of the page; myths and section introductions are written by the initiative team.
Knowing the basics makes it easier to notice a change and to talk about it.
Breast cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells in the breast grow out of control and form tumours.
Breast cancer cells begin inside the milk ducts and/or the milk-producing lobules of the breast.
Approximately 0.5–1% of breast cancers occur in men.
This information is for awareness only and is not a substitute for medical advice.
Finding breast cancer early changes what treatment can do.
Mortality is reduced when breast cancer cases are detected and treated early.
The earliest form (in situ) is not life-threatening and can be detected in early stages. Cancer cells can spread into nearby breast tissue (invasion).
Treatments for breast cancer are more effective and are better tolerated when started early and taken to completion.
This information is for awareness only and is not a substitute for medical advice.
Noticing a change is a reason to see a doctor, not a reason to panic. If something worries you, talk to a parent, a teacher you trust or a doctor.
Symptoms of breast cancer can include:
Other possible symptoms of breast cancer include:
The most common symptom of breast cancer is a new lump or mass, although most breast lumps are not cancer.
People with an abnormal breast lump should seek medical care, even if the lump does not hurt.
It's important to have any new breast mass, lump, or other change checked by an experienced healthcare professional so the cause can be found and treated, if needed.
This information is for awareness only and is not a substitute for medical advice.
Talking about risk is never about blame. Many risk factors cannot be changed, and having one does not mean a person will get breast cancer.
A risk factor is anything that increases your chances of getting a disease, such as breast cancer. But having a risk factor, or even many, does not mean that you will get cancer.
Approximately 80% of breast cancers develop in women who have no modifiable breast cancer risk factor other than gender (female) and age (over 40 years).
Female gender is the strongest breast cancer risk factor.
As you get older, your risk of breast cancer increases.
Certain factors increase the risk of breast cancer including increasing age, obesity, harmful use of alcohol, family history of breast cancer, history of radiation exposure, reproductive history (such as age that menstrual periods began and age at first pregnancy), tobacco use and postmenopausal hormone therapy.
This information is for awareness only and is not a substitute for medical advice.
Health bodies do not all give the same advice: they differ on when to start, how often, and whether to recommend breast self-examination. Each statement shows the year of its source. A doctor can say which applies to you.
Lebanon
Source year: 2026
Mammograms are now available at every government hospital throughout the year for all Lebanese women over 40.
Source year: 2026
For enquiries about mammography centres, call 1214.
Source year: 2019
A monthly breast self-examination from the age of twenty, and a mammogram every year from the age of forty, or from thirty-five for women whose relatives have had the disease.
United States
Source year: 2026
Women between 40 and 44 have the option to start screening with a mammogram every year.
Source year: 2026
Women 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year.
Source year: 2026
Women 55 and older can switch to a mammogram every other year, or they can choose to continue yearly mammograms.
Source year: 2026
Women who are at high risk for breast cancer based on certain factors should get a breast MRI and a mammogram every year, typically starting at age 30.
Source year: 2026
It is important to know the signs and symptoms of breast cancer and to know what your breasts normally look and feel like, so you’ll be aware of any changes.
Global
Source year: 2026
screening: the application of mammography in an apparently healthy population, usually women 50-69 years of age, to identify pre-clinical lesions before recognizable signs or symptoms appear.
This information is for awareness only and is not a substitute for medical advice.
Common beliefs, and what health bodies say.
Myth
What the evidence says
People with an abnormal breast lump should seek medical care, even if the lump does not hurt.
Myth
What the evidence says
The most common symptom of breast cancer is a new lump or mass, although most breast lumps are not cancer.
Myth
What the evidence says
Approximately 0.5–1% of breast cancers occur in men.
Myth
What the evidence says
In general, no. Cancer is not a contagious disease that easily spreads from person to person. The only situation in which cancer can spread from one person to another is in the case of organ or tissue transplantation.
Myth
What the evidence says
No. The best studies so far have found no evidence linking the chemicals typically found in antiperspirants and deodorants with changes in breast tissue.
Myth
What the evidence says
There is no scientific or clinical data that shows that wearing a bra changes the risk of having breast cancer.
Myth
What the evidence says
To date, there is no convincing scientific evidence that links a person’s “attitude” to their risk of developing or dying from cancer.
This information is for awareness only and is not a substitute for medical advice.
When someone at home is diagnosed, the whole family feels it. These points come from the US National Cancer Institute; most are written for caregivers, and they apply to anyone who helps.
If you have cancer, it’s normal to feel sad, angry, or discouraged sometimes and positive or upbeat at other times.
Talk to someone you can really open up to about your feelings or fears.
Think about things others can do or arrange for you, such as appointments or errands.
If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to take care of others.
Cancer support groups can also be helpful for children or family members.
This information is for awareness only and is not a substitute for medical advice.
The medical statements on this page are quoted from these health bodies. Each link opens the original page.
World Health Organization, Breast cancer fact sheet (opens in a new tab),
American Cancer Society, Breast Cancer Signs and Symptoms (opens in a new tab),
American Cancer Society, Breast Cancer Risk Factors You Cannot Change (opens in a new tab),
National Cancer Institute, Common Cancer Myths and Misconceptions (opens in a new tab),
National Cancer Institute, Support for Caregivers of Cancer Patients (opens in a new tab),
National Cancer Institute, Cancer Support Groups (opens in a new tab),
English translation by the initiative team.
