{"id":5177,"date":"2026-10-02T09:00:10","date_gmt":"2026-10-02T08:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ecclinic.ie\/?p=5177"},"modified":"2026-10-08T17:51:59","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T16:51:59","slug":"breast-cancer-awareness-symptoms-dublin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ecclinic.ie\/es\/posts\/breast-cancer-awareness-symptoms-dublin\/","title":{"rendered":"Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Why It Starts, What to Look For, and What Screening Actually Covers"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"5177\" class=\"elementor elementor-5177\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-de733ef e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"de733ef\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9469cb7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"9469cb7\" 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class=\"ec-blog-widget\">\n\n<div class=\"ec-blog-quick-answer\">\n  <p class=\"ec-blog-quick-answer__label\">Quick answer<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Breast cancer develops when cells inside the breast\u2019s ducts or lobules build up enough genetic changes to grow and divide when they should not. It is the most common cancer in Irish women: around 3,704 women are diagnosed every year, and roughly 1 in 7 women in Ireland will develop it during their lifetime. Most breast lumps are not cancer, but the HSE describes a new lump or area of thickened tissue as the most important symptom to have checked, and breast pain alone is usually not a sign of it. In Ireland, BreastCheck currently screens women aged 50 to 69 who have no symptoms. Screening does not remove the need for individual vigilance: any new or persistent change, at any age, deserves assessment.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ec-blog-pullquote\">\n  <p class=\"ec-blog-pullquote__label\">From Dr. Eliana<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I always ask a patient two questions before I ask about her symptom: how long has this worried you, and what have you already assumed it means. Almost every woman who comes to see me about a breast change has already run the worst-case scenario in her head, sometimes for weeks, before she books an appointment. That delay is the part I most want to change this October. Most of what I examine turns out to be entirely benign. But the only way to know that quickly, rather than living with weeks of private fear, is to come in as soon as something feels different. Awareness should shorten the distance between noticing and knowing \u2014 not lengthen it.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ec-blog-takeaways\">\n<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Key takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n  <li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Irish women. Around 3,704 women are diagnosed every year, and the lifetime risk is approximately 1 in 7 (Marie Keating Foundation, using national cancer registry data).<\/span><\/li>\n  <li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Risk rises with age. Most diagnoses occur in women over 50, and a diagnosis under 40 is uncommon.<\/span><\/li>\n  <li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A new lump or area of thickened tissue is the symptom the HSE describes as most important. Breast pain alone is not usually a sign of breast cancer.<\/span><\/li>\n  <li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">About 9 in 10 breast lumps turn out to be benign, but every new one still needs to be examined, not assumed.<\/span><\/li>\n  <li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inherited changes in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes can raise lifetime risk to as high as 6 to 8 in 10 by age 80 in carriers, though most breast cancers are not inherited.<\/span><\/li>\n  <li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BreastCheck, Ireland\u2019s national screening programme, currently invites women aged 50 to 69 with no symptoms. An extension to 45\u201349 and 70\u201374 is under active review.<\/span><\/li>\n  <li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A normal mammogram is reassuring, but it does not cancel out a new symptom that appears afterwards.<\/span><\/li>\n  <li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some risk factors are modifiable \u2014 post-menopausal weight, alcohol, smoking \u2014 while others, such as age and genetics, are not.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ec-blog-spacer\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What actually causes breast cancer to start?<\/h2>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Breast cancer begins inside the milk ducts or the milk-producing lobules of the breast, when cells accumulate enough changes in the genes that normally control growth, repair and cell death to start dividing without the usual limits. As with other cancers, this is generally a biological process that unfolds over years rather than the result of one identifiable event, a stressful season, or a single lifestyle choice.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What determines an individual woman\u2019s risk is a combination of factors that are not modifiable and factors that are. The HSE groups these clearly. Non-modifiable factors include age \u2014 risk increases as you get older, and most breast cancers occur in women over 50 \u2014 family history of breast cancer in a close relative, inherited changes in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, denser breast tissue (which is more common in younger women), and a personal history of breast cancer or certain abnormal cell changes.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hormonal exposure also plays a role, because oestrogen can influence how breast tissue behaves over a lifetime. The HSE lists earlier puberty, later menopause, having a first pregnancy after 30, and never having been pregnant as factors associated with greater lifetime oestrogen exposure and therefore a modest increase in risk. Combined hormone replacement therapy carries a slightly increased risk while it is used, and the contraceptive pill carries a small increased risk that returns to baseline roughly ten years after stopping.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then there are the factors you can influence. Body weight matters specifically after menopause: a BMI of 30 or higher in postmenopausal women increases risk, largely because fat tissue becomes a source of oestrogen production once the ovaries stop producing it. Regular alcohol consumption and smoking both raise risk, in a dose-related way. None of these single-handedly determines an individual\u2019s outcome, but together they are the levers a woman genuinely has some control over.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"ec-blog-spacer\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/div>\n\n<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Which symptoms actually matter, and which ones don\u2019t?<\/h2>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The HSE describes a new lump or an area of thickened tissue in the breast as the single most important sign to have checked. Alongside that, the recognised symptoms include a change in the size or shape of one or both breasts, bloodstained discharge from either nipple, a lump or swelling in either armpit, dimpling of the skin on the breast, a rash on or around the nipple, and a nipple that becomes sunken or pulled inward.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One point surprises almost every patient I share it with: breast pain is not usually a symptom of breast cancer. Cyclical tenderness linked to your menstrual cycle, and even some non-cyclical breast pain, is common and usually has a benign explanation. That does not mean pain should be ignored if it is new, persistent and localised to one spot, but pain alone, without a lump or visible change, is rarely the presenting sign of cancer.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"ec-blog-pullquote\">\n  <p class=\"ec-blog-pullquote__label\">The rule that actually helps<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">About 9 out of 10 breast lumps are not cancer \u2014 most are cysts, fibroadenomas, or normal fluctuations in glandular tissue. But the only way to know which one you have is to have it examined. Self-diagnosis in either direction \u2014 deciding it is nothing, or deciding it is the worst thing \u2014 is where the real harm happens.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ec-blog-spacer\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/div>\n\n<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Does a family history of breast cancer mean I will get it too?<\/h2>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not necessarily, and this is one of the most important distinctions in the conversation. Most breast cancers are not caused by an inherited gene change. Where a family history does matter is in the pattern: which relatives were affected, whether they were on the same side of the family, how young they were at diagnosis, and whether ovarian cancer also appears in the family, since BRCA1 and BRCA2 changes raise the risk of both.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A woman who carries a harmful BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation faces a substantially higher lifetime risk \u2014 the HSE describes this as up to a 6 in 10 to 8 in 10 chance by age 80 \u2014 compared with roughly 1 in 7 for women overall. That is a meaningfully different risk category, and it changes the conversation about screening frequency, starting age, and whether genetic counselling and testing are appropriate.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What I would ask any patient to do is bring the details, not just a yes or no. \u201cMy aunt had breast cancer\u201d and \u201cmy mother and maternal grandmother were both diagnosed before 45\u201d are two completely different pieces of information, and only one of them typically changes a screening recommendation.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"ec-blog-spacer\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/div>\n\n<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What does BreastCheck actually screen, and who is eligible?<\/h2>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BreastCheck is Ireland\u2019s national breast screening programme, and it currently invites women aged 50 to 69 who have no symptoms for a free mammogram every two years. This age range was set based on international evidence about where screening delivers the clearest balance of benefit against harm.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That range is under active review. The National Screening Advisory Committee has been asked to examine the evidence for extending the programme to women aged 45 to 49 and 70 to 74, in line with recent European guideline recommendations, though any expansion depends on demonstrating that the benefits would outweigh the harms and would meaningfully reduce breast cancer deaths in Ireland. Screening eligibility is one of the details in this article most likely to change, so always check the current BreastCheck and HSE guidance directly before assuming an age cutoff.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is also worth understanding what mammography does and does not do well. It is very effective at finding change in typical breast tissue, but denser breast tissue \u2014 more common in younger women \u2014 can make mammograms harder to interpret, which is one reason screening is not simply extended to every age group without evidence of net benefit.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"ec-blog-spacer\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/div>\n\n<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">I\u2019m under 50, or over 69 \u2014 does that mean I\u2019m not at risk?<\/h2>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No. Screening age ranges are a population-level tool, built around where mammography delivers the best overall balance of benefit and risk across large numbers of women. They are not a statement that risk begins at 50 and ends at 69.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are younger than the screening age, your risk is generally lower, but it is not zero, and any new symptom \u2014 a lump, a skin change, nipple discharge \u2014 deserves assessment regardless of your age. If you are older than the screening age, the same applies: breast cancer risk does not fall to zero once BreastCheck invitations stop, so self-awareness needs to continue for life, not just for the years you are formally screened.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"ec-blog-spacer\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/div>\n\n<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">How do I actually check my own breasts, and what am I looking for?<\/h2>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most useful approach is not a rigid monthly ritual performed the same way every time. It is genuine familiarity with your own breasts \u2014 how they normally look and feel \u2014 so that a real change stands out against that baseline rather than against a generic checklist.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In practice, that means looking at your breasts in the mirror occasionally, noting their usual size, shape and the position of your nipples, and feeling them with the flat of your fingers, including up into the armpit, at a time in your cycle when they are least tender if you still have periods. What you are looking and feeling for is a change from your own normal: a new lump, an area that feels thicker than the surrounding tissue, a change in shape or skin texture, or nipple changes such as discharge or inversion.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One normal-feeling lump discovered once is far less informative than noticing that something has changed since last time. That is the entire purpose of familiarity: it turns a vague worry into a specific, describable change you can bring to a clinician.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"ec-blog-spacer\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/div>\n\n<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What happens if I find something that needs to be checked?<\/h2>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The pathway is designed to answer the question efficiently, not to alarm you at every step. It typically begins with a clinical history and a physical examination, followed by imaging \u2014 usually a mammogram, an ultrasound, or both \u2014 depending on your age and what the examination finds. If imaging shows something that needs further characterisation, a biopsy may be taken: a small tissue sample is removed and examined under a microscope by a pathologist.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only if that pathway confirms cancer does the conversation move to staging \u2014 establishing how far, if at all, the disease has spread \u2014 and referral into specialist oncology care for treatment planning, which can include surgery, radiotherapy or systemic therapy depending on the type and stage.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"ec-blog-pullquote\">\n  <p class=\"ec-blog-pullquote__label\">From Dr. Eliana<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">EC Clinic is not an oncology treatment centre, and I want to say that plainly rather than let a patient assume otherwise. What I can do is take your history seriously, examine you properly, arrange or recommend the right imaging, and refer you promptly and clearly into specialist care if something needs it. Getting you to the right level of care quickly is, in my view, just as important as any single test.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At EC Clinic in Dublin, that conversation usually begins with a <a href=\"\/general-gynaecological-consultation\/\">general gynaecological consultation<\/a>. For related awareness reading, see our guide to <a href=\"\/posts\/gynaecological-cancer-symptoms-ireland\/\">gynaecological cancer symptoms in Ireland<\/a>, and our <a href=\"\/breast-cancer-awareness\/\">breast cancer awareness<\/a> information page.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"ec-blog-spacer\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/div>\n\n<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Can I actually lower my risk?<\/h2>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Partly, yes. You cannot change your age, your genetics or your family history, but several genuinely modifiable factors are worth taking seriously: maintaining a healthy weight after menopause, since excess weight becomes a more significant oestrogen source once the ovaries stop producing it; limiting alcohol, since risk rises with the amount consumed; staying physically active; and not smoking.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">None of these guarantees anything in either direction \u2014 women with no risk factors are diagnosed, and women with several risk factors never are. But they are the levers within your control, and knowing your family history well enough to flag it early is arguably just as valuable as any single lifestyle change, because it is what determines whether earlier or more frequent screening should even be on the table.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"ec-blog-reviewed\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Medically reviewed by Dr. Eliana Casta\u00f1eda, Obstetrician-Gynaecologist and Aesthetic Specialist \u00b7 2 October 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"ec-blog-signature\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014 Dr. Eliana Casta\u00f1eda<br>Obstetrician-Gynaecologist and Aesthetic Specialist \u00b7 Medical Director, EC Clinic Dublin \u00b7 22+ years of clinical practice across Venezuela, Spain and Ireland<\/span><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"ec-blog-faq\">\n<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<div class=\"elementor-toggle\">\n  <div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n    <h3 id=\"elementor-tab-title-86001\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-86001\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n      <span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n        <span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-plus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n        <span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened e-font-icon-svg e-fas-minus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n      <\/span>\n      <a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Does a lump always mean cancer?<\/a>\n    <\/h3>\n    <div id=\"elementor-tab-content-86001\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-86001\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No. About 9 in 10 breast lumps are benign, cysts and fibroadenomas are common causes. Every new lump should still be examined, because the only way to know which kind you have is to have it checked.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n    <h3 id=\"elementor-tab-title-86002\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-86002\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n      <span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n        <span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-plus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n        <span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened e-font-icon-svg e-fas-minus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n      <\/span>\n      <a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">At what age should I start screening?<\/a>\n    <\/h3>\n    <div id=\"elementor-tab-content-86002\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-86002\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BreastCheck currently invites women aged 50 to 69 with no symptoms for free mammograms every two years. An extension to 45\u201349 and 70\u201374 is under review. Outside that range, any new symptom should be assessed regardless of age.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n    <h3 id=\"elementor-tab-title-86003\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-86003\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n      <span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n        <span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-plus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n        <span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened e-font-icon-svg e-fas-minus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n      <\/span>\n      <a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Does family history guarantee I'll get breast cancer?<\/a>\n    <\/h3>\n    <div id=\"elementor-tab-content-86003\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-86003\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No. Most breast cancers are not inherited. A family history raises risk, and certain patterns, especially inherited BRCA1 or BRCA2 changes, raise it substantially, but genetic counselling is the right way to clarify your personal risk rather than assuming from a single relative's diagnosis.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n    <h3 id=\"elementor-tab-title-86004\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-86004\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n      <span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n        <span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-plus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n        <span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened e-font-icon-svg e-fas-minus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n      <\/span>\n      <a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Is breast pain a sign of breast cancer?<\/a>\n    <\/h3>\n    <div id=\"elementor-tab-content-86004\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-86004\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Usually not. Breast pain alone, without a lump or other visible change, is not typically how breast cancer presents. Persistent, localised pain that is new for you should still be mentioned to your doctor.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n    <h3 id=\"elementor-tab-title-86005\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-86005\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n      <span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n        <span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-plus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n        <span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened e-font-icon-svg e-fas-minus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n      <\/span>\n      <a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">What if my mammogram was normal but I've since noticed a change?<\/a>\n    <\/h3>\n    <div id=\"elementor-tab-content-86005\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-86005\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get it checked. A normal mammogram reflects that moment in time. A new symptom afterwards is a fresh reason for assessment, not something a previous result can rule out.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n    <h3 id=\"elementor-tab-title-86006\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"6\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-86006\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n      <span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n        <span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-plus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n        <span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened e-font-icon-svg e-fas-minus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n      <\/span>\n      <a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Can breast cancer happen under 40?<\/a>\n    <\/h3>\n    <div id=\"elementor-tab-content-86006\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"6\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-86006\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It can, though it is uncommon. Most diagnoses occur in women over 50. Age is one factor among several, so a new symptom at any age deserves attention.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n    <h3 id=\"elementor-tab-title-86007\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"7\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-86007\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n      <span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n        <span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-plus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n        <span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened e-font-icon-svg e-fas-minus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n      <\/span>\n      <a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Do I need a GP referral to be assessed at EC Clinic?<\/a>\n    <\/h3>\n    <div id=\"elementor-tab-content-86007\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"7\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-86007\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No. You can book a gynaecological consultation directly, without a GP referral.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Does a lump always mean cancer?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"No. About 9 in 10 breast lumps are benign, cysts and fibroadenomas are common causes. 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Age is one factor among several, so a new symptom at any age deserves attention.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Do I need a GP referral to be assessed at EC Clinic?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"No. You can book a gynaecological consultation directly, without a GP referral.\"}}]}<\/script>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":[\"Article\",\"MedicalWebPage\"],\"headline\":\"Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Why It Starts, What to Look For, and What Screening Actually Covers\",\"description\":\"A Dublin gynaecologist explains why breast cancer develops, which symptoms matter, and what BreastCheck screening does and does not cover.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-IE\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-02\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-02\",\"lastReviewed\":\"2026-10-02\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":\"https:\/\/www.ecclinic.ie\/posts\/breast-cancer-awareness-symptoms-dublin\/\",\"about\":{\"@type\":\"MedicalCondition\",\"name\":\"Breast cancer\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Physician\",\"name\":\"Dr. Eliana Casta\u00f1eda\"},\"reviewedBy\":{\"@type\":\"Physician\",\"name\":\"Dr. Eliana Casta\u00f1eda\"},\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"MedicalClinic\",\"name\":\"EC Clinic\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ecclinic.ie\/\"}}<\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ec-blog-sources\">\n<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Sources and evidence<\/h2>\n<ul>\n  <li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HSE. <a href=\"https:\/\/www2.hse.ie\/conditions\/breast-cancer-women\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Breast cancer in women \u2014 symptoms<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n  <li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HSE. <a href=\"https:\/\/www2.hse.ie\/conditions\/breast-cancer-women\/causes-and-risk-factors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Causes and risk factors of breast cancer in women<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n  <li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Marie Keating Foundation. <a href=\"https:\/\/mariekeating.ie\/cancer-information\/breast-cancer\/breast-cancer-risks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Breast Cancer \u2014 The Risks<\/a>. Approximately 3,704 women diagnosed annually in Ireland; lifetime risk approximately 1 in 7.<\/span><\/li>\n  <li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HSE. <a href=\"https:\/\/www2.healthservice.hse.ie\/organisation\/nss\/news\/breastcheck-age-range-explained\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">BreastCheck age range explained<\/a> \u2014 current screening ages 50\u201369, review of extension to 45\u201349 and 70\u201374 by the National Screening Advisory Committee.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ec-blog-cta\">\n  <p class=\"ec-blog-cta__lead\">Book a consultation at EC Clinic<\/p>\n  <p class=\"ec-blog-cta__contact\">\n    <a href=\"tel:+35319125590\">01 912 5590<\/a><span class=\"ec-blog-cta__sep\">\u00b7<\/span><a href=\"\/general-gynaecological-consultation\/\">Book Online<\/a><span class=\"ec-blog-cta__sep\">\u00b7<\/span><a href=\"mailto:info@ecclinic.ie\">info@ecclinic.ie<\/a>\n  <\/p>\n  <p class=\"ec-blog-cta__details\">No GP referral needed \u00b7 Written clinical report \u00b7 EN \u00b7 ES \u00b7 PT \u00b7 See <a href=\"\/price-list\/\">price list<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"\/contact-us\/\">Contact<\/a> \u00b7 VHI \u00b7 Laya \u00b7 Irish Life Health<\/p>\n  <p class=\"ec-blog-cta__address\">Trinity Central, 152-160 Pearse Street, Dublin 2, D02 Y8N7<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<script>\n  (function () {\n    var widget = document.querySelector(\".ec-blog-widget\");\n    if (!widget) return;\n    widget.querySelectorAll(\".elementor-tab-title\").forEach(function (title) {\n      title.addEventListener(\"click\", function () {\n        var item = this.closest(\".elementor-toggle-item\");\n        var content = item.querySelector(\".elementor-tab-content\");\n        var isActive = this.classList.contains(\"elementor-active\");\n        widget.querySelectorAll(\".elementor-tab-title\").forEach(function (t) {\n          t.classList.remove(\"elementor-active\");\n          t.setAttribute(\"aria-expanded\", \"false\");\n        });\n        widget.querySelectorAll(\".elementor-tab-content\").forEach(function (c) {\n          c.style.display = \"none\";\n        });\n        if (!isActive) {\n          this.classList.add(\"elementor-active\");\n          this.setAttribute(\"aria-expanded\", \"true\");\n          content.style.display = \"block\";\n        }\n      });\n    });\n  })();\n<\/script>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Quick answer Breast cancer develops when cells inside the breast\u2019s ducts or lobules build up enough genetic changes to grow and divide when they should not. It is the most common cancer in Irish women: around 3,704 women are diagnosed every year, and roughly 1 in 7 women in Ireland will develop it during their [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":5184,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5177","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-posts"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Breast Cancer Awareness Dublin: Signs &amp; Screening | EC Clinic<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A Dublin gynaecologist explains why breast cancer develops, which symptoms matter, and what BreastCheck screening does and does not cover.\" \/>\n<meta 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