BRIEF – Breast cancer awareness month

Background

Nationally

• Around 55,000 women and 400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in the UK that's more than 150 every day.
• Around 6,000 cases of breast cancer each year in England in females are linked with lower deprivation.

• During Covid pandemic, there was a 44% decrease in the number of women (45 and over) who were screened for breast cancer in 2020-21 (1.19 million), compared to 2019-20 (2.12 million)
• Over a third (39%) of women in the UK do not check their breasts regularly for potential signs of breast cancer.

Reason for campaign

The campaign’s main aim is to increase uptake of breast screening appointments. The secondary aim is to encourage women to check their breast regularly, how to do it and when to contact their GP. So it can start with promoting - check your breast; if you observe anything unusual or have symptoms, see your GP; if you are invited for screening, honour the invitation and do not delay.

1. Desired response

Increased uptake of breast cancer screening and women confident in checking their own breasts regularly for any changes and confident to contact their GP.

2. Target audience

• Women aged 50 and over (8 out of 10 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in this age bracket)
• Women aged under 50 (10,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 50 every year in the UK. Of these, around 7,600 women will be in their 40s)
• Women aged under 39 (2,300 women in the UK are diagnosed aged 39 or under)

These groups differ in terms of their messaging approach, although key messages will be relatively similar.

3. Placement

• Social Media, newsletter and other suitable media

4. What should be included?

Important statistics/messages

• 1 in 7 women in the UK will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their life, if you are invited for screening, make sure you attend.
• Screening appointments are available from the age of 50-71, every 3 years, please contact your GP to arrange your appointment if you have not received a letter
• Why early diagnosis is important to survival - Almost 9 in 10 (85%) of women survive breast cancer for 5 years or more.
• Screening prevents an estimated 1,300 deaths from breast cancer each year in the UK.

• Screening saves lives, yet less than half of women attend their first breast screening appointment when invited.
• If you have been invited for breast screening but missed or did not book an appointment you can still contact your local NHS breast screening service to arrange one, even if you were invited weeks, months or years ago.
• Women of all ages should be ‘breast aware’. Get to know how your breasts normally look, you will be more likely to spot any changes that might be signs of breast cancer. If you are concerned, do not hesitate to contact your GP practice.

5. Creative

Samples in appendix including materials for different ethnicity in reference section.

6. Appendix – posters and NHS comms toolkit

References

• Breast cancer now – breast aware assets - Download and order publications | Page 2 | Breast Cancer Now (Also available in different languages)

• Breast cancer in men booklet | Macmillan Cancer Support
• Breast Cancer Facts and Statistics website Link
• Video with focus on black ethnic group awareness - https://youtu.be/iKH4cJGaN10?si=RGZP7Vthz3DgRxGe
• Say No to cancer Video – focus on minority groups - https://youtu.be/d1nU9UQsYJo?si=Pr3NlSRocFNre2fI
• Embrace screening video - https://youtu.be/iCYBCcj0IIo?si=1aoYOefOeXi2dh5J
• https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/breast-cancer/